Six Minutes That Changed Everything: A Charleston Artist's Pecha Kucha 49 Experience

Hey y'all, it's Demetrius Bing, the Charleston artist behind Art of Bing. I wanted to take a minute to share something that's been on my heart lately, because the last few weeks have been a whirlwind for my art career, and it all started with one email.

The Email That Started It All

A little while back, I got a message from Terry Fox letting me know I'd been selected to be part of Pecha Kucha 49 here in Charleston, SC. Out of nine artists chosen to have a presentation built around them and asked to share their story in front of a live audience, my name was on that list. For a self-taught artist from Union Heights, that kind of recognition hits different.

I'm not gonna lie, I was nervous. I've watched other folks do their Pecha Kuchas. I've heard those stories. And knowing I was about to stand up there and do the same thing? That was nerve-wracking. I've done a lot of things in my career, from gallery shows to being named the 2024 MOJA Arts Festival poster artist, but this one felt different. Mostly because I was just so grateful. The idea that people actually wanted to hear my story meant something to me.

Fitting a Life Into Six Minutes

If you've never been to a Pecha Kucha Charleston event, here's the deal. You basically have six minutes to tell your whole story through a set of slides. Six minutes. That's it.

It took me about a month to pull everything together, and let me tell you, that was the hard part. Some slides matter way more than others because they're the turning points, the moments that shaped who you are as an artist. I was going through old pictures, flipping through scenes from different chapters of my life growing up in Charleston, trying to figure out which ones captured what I really wanted to say. And then on top of all that, I had to somehow tie the past to what I'm doing right now and point toward what's coming next.

My cousin handles my marketing, and he was the one who helped me pull it all together. I couldn't have done it without him. When the night came and I got up there and told my story, the response was beautiful. People connected with what I was saying, with what the slides were showing, and with where I'm headed as a Charleston SC artist. That meant the world to me.

The Ripple Effect on My Art Career

Here's the part I didn't see coming. After Pecha Kucha 49, it felt like everything shifted to another level.

In the last two to three weeks, I had a show at The Baseline where I sold multiple pieces in a single night. I had showings at the International African American Museum right here in Charleston, which is where I really started launching my prints in physical form in front of people, and I sold three prints in one night. Reactivating ArtOfBing.com has been a game changer too. The email list has been growing, filled with people who want to know what I'm working on next and what's happening in my world.

Since then, I've been selling original paintings, limited edition prints, small pieces, large pieces, nonstop for three weeks straight. For any Charleston artist reading this, I'm telling you, telling your story matters. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to say out loud who I am, what I've done, and where I'm going.

A Word to Any Artist Reading This

If you ever get the chance to do a Pecha Kucha, do it. I know it's scary. I know you might not feel ready, and you might not know exactly what to say. Just get up there and talk about you. Be comfortable telling people who you are, what you do, where you're from, and how you got started. That's really all it takes.

Take it from me. I'd do this again and again and again. If anybody ever asks me, my answer is yes. Do it for yourself. You never know what doors it might open for your art, your business, or your life.

See the Work That's Fueling This Chapter

This whole journey, Pecha Kucha, the shows at The Baseline and the International African American Museum, the prints, the stories, it all lives on the canvas. If you've been following my work as a Charleston artist, or if this is your first time hearing my name, I'd love for you to come see the paintings for yourself.

Head over to ArtOfBing.com to explore the gallery, check out the original paintings, and grab one of the limited edition hand-signed prints while they're still available. Every piece carries a part of the story I got to share on that Pecha Kucha 49 stage, and I'd love for a piece of it to live with you.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. And thank you for letting me keep telling my story.

— Demetrius Bing, Art of Bing