A study in artistic diversity, Bernardo Medina embodies the renaissance spirit of the consummate artist, always inspired and inspiring artists around him to create and capture the rhythms of life and beauty in a multitude of mediums.
At the core is his love and dedication to the realism in captured moments of humanity that only the lens of photography can provide. With a background in architecture and design underpinning his artistic journey, Bernardo joined deviantART almost a decade ago and in that time has generated a formidable and impressive body of work on his own but also through collaborative endeavors with the other members of the deviantART community. He serves as a model of not only individual personal dedication to his art – but as an artist ever ready to share from his vast reservoir of spiritual support with any deviants or other artists who need only ask.
Bernardo specializes in building teams of artists to realize his visions when imagining public spaces filled with artwork, media, and inspiration. On a recent notable project he worked with devilicious on bringing the interior of a 25,000 sq ft nightclub to devious life. On this, as with his other creations, much of the graphics, photography, modeling, design concepts, and artworks are sourced from dA when building massive public projects.
Many are most familiar with Bernardo’s work from his collaborations and photographic journeys in association with National Geographic that have yielded such absolutely beautiful imagery. He manages to capture the human condition and the global pulse of our living planet in an unvarnished and dramatic yet life-affirming manner. His images rank with the very best of what has made National Geographic the touchstone and authority in naturalist photography since before most of us were born.
But of all his most treasured collaborative work, Bernardo cites as his most enduring, fulfilling and inspiring the projects he shares with his son Tomas, teemoh. Like father – like son: Tomas also began his photographic journey on deviantART. Whereas Bernardo’s life in photography has focused on capturing moments in the natural world, Tomas, with his background in video and graphic design, is achieving great things in experimenting with light, form and sound. The father & son team is currently collaborating on a media show, “My Thailand Story.” Theirs is the sort of professional and spiritual relationship that best defines and illustrates in living practice what the deviantART experience and community is all about.
techgnotic:
When did you first realize that deviantART was becoming your support system in your artistic endeavors?
foureyes:
When I started meeting many talented artists in deviantART, passionate about their work and about sharing it. They have been truly inspirational during the last 10 years. I come to deviantART every day. As an evolving community, it has a rhythm of it's own. In a world saturated with social media, deviantART remains true to it's original intent, connecting people through art. DeviantART has always been a reflection of new art trends, what's new, what's viral. In the modern world of business it is useless to be a creative original thinker unless you can share what you create and benefit from it.
techgnotic:
Can you tell us a bit about your formal education and how it relates to the knowledge gained from an online community of photographers?
foureyes:
Architect by education. We have a Studio of Design and Construction in Texas. Photography is a source of inspiration for my architectural projects. It lets me play with the perception of the outside world, it's structures, forms, colors, illusions and cliches!
DeviantART artist/friends work with us on the artistic part of the architectural projects we do: graphics, photography, modeling, design concepts. The collab and team work is awesome!
Recently we worked with deviantART's devilicious on a 25,000 sq. ft. night club project in Fort Worth, Texas. We produced many deviantART inspired images. Her visual concepts had a unique deviant flair. Working with devilicious (Mary) is Nirvana!
foureyes:
Over the last few years some of my images have received photography awards and I've traveled with Nat Geo a couple of times. We are currently working on a multi-media show that includes a photography exhibit in Houston with The TAT ( Thailand Tourism Authority ) of the 2012 Thailand trip.
techgnotic:
Do you feel like you’re an ambassador for the arts ethos of deviantART when you’re working in Thailand, etc?
foureyes:
A humble ambassador! It's always great when you have a deviantART friend tell you that your work inspired their creativity, or that they traveled to a certain place after seeing my photo.
techgnotic:
What do you tell young artists about making best use of the human resources of arts communities as they begin building their careers?
foureyes:
Connect, connect, connect with artist-friends. The sorcery and charm of sharing our view of the world make it one of the most treasured of all creative arts. Access to talented and creative people is to modern business what access to coal and iron once was to steelmaking.
foureyes:
We have followed jsmonzani for many years. The range of his work is inspiring. His work mixes photography, graphic design and cinema, and we like that!
foureyes:
To be a successful entrepreneur, one needs a vision of one's work. If we dream, we will be inspired beyond the straight jacket of the everyday world. There is a profound connection between art and enterprise, which allows businesses to overcome its limitations and break the rules. Creativity is the cutting edge of the art business.
foureyes:
My son Tomas (teemoh) joined deviantART 9 years ago. He went to film and photography school and now we work together on special projects. It's awesome! He is driven to create and has a passion for engaging with clients to turn their visions into striking images. As a video-photographer and graphic designer, he is working on several media projects experimenting with light, form & sound – the world in motion!
techgnotic:
How has your Dad's arc as a photographer influenced your career personally and professionally?
teemoh:
It’s very exciting to be a part of a creative family. It gave me the tools to create my own vision of the world. Professionally, it's a great start if you have 4 eyes!
techgnotic:
Can you talk a bit about your current camera set up and also offer some travel tips for the young photographer about to set out on a first trip as a paid photographer?
teemoh:
We like Canon Equipment, and we travel light, but bring very selective gear to cover any lighting condition.
teemoh:
Yes. Sometimes you can feel that instantly! But also, many great photographs are made only after observing a subject, learning when it looks best, and returning to photograph it at its most spectacular. This is how you make anything look extraordinary.
What happened that confirmed for you that you had chosen correctly in making the arts a focal point in your life?
Have you ever collaborated with a close friend or family member? Was it a moment of growth or did it result in a retreat.
Are you in the process of planning a full commitment to a career in the arts? Do you need to choose between many talents in the arts?
Do you think there is a well of inspiration waiting to be tapped by the right artistic stimulus in every human being?
