Taking a more personal look at the people behind the deviantART admin symbols.

$Moonbeam13

How did you first discover deviantART?

I followed a friend of mine here who's an incredible digital painter. After a couple of weeks of lurking, I decided to make a page and upload my artwork.

What is the story behind your username?

For as long as I can remember, my online handle has been Moonbeam. It started about 18 years ago, on a BBS, and has stuck since. Moonbeam was taken when I joined deviantART, so I added my favorite number - 13.

What do you remember of your childhood in regards to art?

I have never had any "formal' training. I have been toying with photography since I was small. My grandmother had told me that eating apple seeds would cause trees to grow in your belly, so I stole my grandfathers' camera and pointed the lens down my throat to see if I could capture my glorious belly tree.

Was there anything or anyone in particular that prompted your choice of art form?

November 1996, New York City, Guggenheim Museum, 3rd floor, back right corner, Joel Peter-Witkin exhibit. I saw the true power of photography through new eyes that day and my life hasn't been the same since.

Who or what motivates you to continue creating?

I think it's a mix of personal motivation (or lack thereof somedays) as well as influence from watching my peers on deviantART. Life is probably the greatest of my muses.

Of your own work, which has the most meaning to you and why?

Vertigo is about conquering my own fears. It's very personal to me and it helped me get through a difficult phobia that's plagued me since childhood - The fear of success.

What are the duties and title of your role as an admin of deviantART?

I am the Director of Community Relations. deviantART's Community Relations Team provides a unique collective effort that seeks to create and sustain collaborative relationships among deviants and to develop innovative opportunities within the global art industry. These relationships are meant to provide and encourage opportunities to foster creative genius. The CR Team acts as a window of information for the community on how to utilize deviantART in a way that will empower and enable themselves as respected and successful artists.

Our ultimate vision is a community of artists that come together unified and strengthened by sharing the belief that they hold the artistic power to create and shape their own success. In order to realize our vision, our mission must be to exceed the expectations of our community, whom we view as partners, and we will accomplish this by committing to our shared core values.

What can your reveal of projects you are working on for deviantART? Personal projects?

Groups, Portfolio, Marketplace, Education and Marketing projects to help deviants not only develop and hone their art but learn how to properly market themselves.

As an admin, what do you want to achieve short term? Long term?

I want to enable deviants to grow as artists and eventually make money doing what they love. I will take all of the steps in between to reach that goal.

What theatrical movies did you enjoy most?

I loved the Princess Bride, Legend, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth

What films in the devaintART Film Gallery do you enjoy most?

My Collection of favorites can be found here [link]

What type of music do you listen to? (Specific groups/artists?)

I'm relatively eclectic and listen to just about anything depending on my mood. Currently, I'm listening to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and a lot of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

Which books could you just not put down?

The James Patterson Women's Murder Club Series. Brida by Paul Coelho, Bloodletting and other miraculous cures

What foods can you just never seem to resist? Drinks?

I love Italian food and I'm a great lover of wine

What are your pet peeves on dA and in general?

MY greatest pet peeve is people that don't understand the meaning of community and seek to destroy each other or constantly scream out against 'the man' (that's us) for being too corporate, too whatever. I think it's fairly obvious to those that care about the community what our true intentions are and there's usually a method to the madness. It's truly painful to have people accuse you of wrongdoing when you spend so many hours trying to make things right.

One fact about yourself that few know about?

I have no relationship with my father, he wanted a boy and for a long time that did quite a number on my self-esteem. However, the positive is that, I've strived to become the best PERSON I can be.. partly in spite of him.

What tips can you offer to better oneself in his or her art? In
life?

Open your eyes and let your art reflect your emotions. It is the soul of the artist that reflects in their art. Do it for yourself, it doesn't matter if other's get it, if you put your heart into it, something comes through. We are here to be the best person we can be and while we will falter, it's that end intention that matters. Be yourself, love yourself, create yourself.

Is there anything else you wish to say?

Thank you for making my job the best job ever.

Thank you $Moonbeam13 for helping to make deviantART the great community that it is and for this interview!



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