A Beautiful Nightmare: The power of giving to your community

By Antonio Pantoja

I’ve been doing photography and video now for about 16 years. I have met many great business mentors along the way. The two that I quote the most are Lee Kiper and Dorian Washington. Both of them share the same philosophy. If you’ve ever seen any level of success, it is your duty to send the elevator back down to bring someone else back up. 

And, the only time you should be looking down upon someone is if you are trying to help them up. 

These aren’t just words to me. They are gospel. And I’ve lived my life by them. It’s been my compass. 

Art is very subjective. 

When an artist shares their art, it’s like pulling the curtain back and letting everyone take a peek into their soul. The level of vulnerability you feel is like standing in front of a crowd naked and letting them judge your body. 

Art is very selfish when you are creating it, but once you release it into the world, it does not belong to you anymore. 

Let me explain. 

When Adele writes music about a breakup, she is writing it for herself about her own experience. But when it hits the radio, millions of people are singing the lyrics because it’s their story too. It belongs to them now. 

Once you release art into the world, it no longer belongs to you anymore. 

Furthermore, someone should not be judged so harshly for where they are in their journey. I don’t think in terms of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ artists. We’re all at different points on the same road. We all have different experiences, and we are all at different stages of our journey. 

So, I think as an artist, if you see another artist walking down the side of the metaphorical road on their journey, it’s your duty to pick them up and bring them along with you to carry them a little further. Making those small deposits with other people. 

Imagine if more of us focused on making deposits instead of withdrawals, how much stronger the community would be. 

I think that sharing your art with the world does serve the community to a degree. But do you know what helps it even more? Sharing your knowledge. 

Too many people in the arts community gatekeep techniques, resources, and opportunities. But what if, instead, we treated knowledge the way we treat art? What if we shared it freely, without fear of losing something, but with the hope of lifting someone else? 

There are people like Lisa Frye, Jessica Mathis (Divinity Rose to some of you), and Soozie Eastman, whose entire purpose has been to bring artists together and help grow the community while still making incredible work of their own. You don’t have to be them; you have your own story, your own journey. 

But you don’t have to hold your knowledge so close to your chest either. Remember how freely you release your art into the world? You can release your knowledge the same way. 

And because I believe this with everything in me, I’m practicing what I preach. On September 21st at 5 pm, I’ll be at Tyler Park giving away free headshots for artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone chasing their dream. It costs nothing. All I ask is that you pay it forward. 

And if the weather is too bad. Lisa Frye was kind enough to donate Art Sanctuary as a backup location. Save Art Sanctuary! 

I’m doing my part. 

Will you do yours?