User Spotlight: TeMuri

Welcome back to our User Spotlight series, where we celebrate the artistic journeys of our vibrant community and uncover the inspiration behind their creations. This time, we are excited to introduce you to a remarkable new talent, TeMuri. A multi-disciplinary artist originally from the Republic of Georgia and now based in New Zealand, TeMuri is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has been showcased in over thirty countries to more than five million viewers.

In this edition, we will explore TeMuri’s creative process, his favorite features in our apps, and how he uses them to enhance his art. Whether you are a seasoned user or new to our tools, we hope his story encourages you to discover new possibilities in your own work.

Join us as we take a closer look at TeMuri’s artistic journey!

Can you give a short introduction to yourself?

I was born and grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia. Then I lived and studied in Moscow, Russia, before moving to Auckland, New Zealand almost 30 years ago. I have a background in Accounting and Finance, but my passion has always been film and arts. I studied filmmaking in NZ and have made over 10 films, including one feature film, which has become a sleeper hit on Amazon Prime. I always had a keen interest in visual arts and a good eye for colours and compositions, but I’m supernaturally bad at drawing. The evolution of AI powered software allowed me to develop my own process of making art, which I now offer commercially. In addition to making more films, I aim to create immersive multi-disciplinary exhibitions and events.

Crackheads, Amazon Prime Film

Crackheads, film available on Amazon Prime from TeMuri.

Can you tell us more about your journey as an artist? What inspired you to transition from filmmaking to visual arts and photography?

Over the past 10 years, I allowed myself to get stuck in development hell, as I became adamant on raising the commercial bar of my creative efforts. I wrote over a dozen of screenplays and prepared an even bigger number of proposals and budgets. Screenwriting is one of the most unrewarding occupations, unless you’re hired and paid, because unlike other art forms, screenplays are not a finished product. During these years, I resorted to photography as my means of self- expression, especially during my extensive travels. More recently, I embraced AI powered technology that converts photos into artworks. Encouraged by favourable feedback of my peers, I regrouped and decided to reinvent myself, launching myself as a visual artist and a hands-on creative. In the past, I would enrol a team and focus on directing and producing only. But these days, I do most things myself, including photography, shooting, editing, painting, etc. I constantly learn new tools. I even designed my own website.

Your films have reached audiences in over thirty countries. How did your experience as a filmmaker influence your approach to visual arts?

I can think of several influences. For starters, I have a filmmaker’s eye, meaning I often “see” images in cinemascope. Hence, a lot of my art pieces have a cinematic feel and aspect ratio. Another influence is my filmmaking style, which is finding stories and art in everyday life. You can see that most of my pictures are elevated snapshots. You could say that my process of making art is somewhat “directorial”, since it’s based on capturing an image from the reality in front of me, choosing the optimal option from those offered to me by AI, and then painstakingly building it into a finished artwork (just like making a movie). And finally, it would be my extensive travel, which allowed me to build a significant library of interesting images. I am now mining this asset for producing a diverse body of work.

On your website you mentioned that you began to offer a mixed media library of works. Would you be so kind to give us an idea what this is?

I mainly referred to using photography, print and paint for my work, rather than just using paint on a plain canvas. In some of my artworks, I have used felt pens and pencils. I am actively exploring other surfaces, on which I can print the images before painting them over. I’m particularly interested in ceramics, metal, vinyl and wood. Another aspect of mixed media is my interest in immersive environments, in which projection plays a big part. I am developing three exhibition projects, in which my artworks will be projected onto various surfaces, as well as applied to various materials.

This evening park photo with a silhouette taken by TeMuri, was enhanced with apps and layered with acrylic, felt pens, and pencils on canvas.

How do you decide which mediums you combine in your work?

From my previous answer, you can see that this is a new area. However, what you may find relevant is my decision process when choosing paper or canvas. I have learned that certain styles of AI generated art fit canvas and further paint, while other styles are more befitting a straight print onto a laminated block of polystyrene. I am hoping to get a chance to experiment with ceramics and vinyl soon, depending on finances. I also plan to create artworks from certain objects that I will photograph and convert into paintings afterwards.

How do you use our in your creative process? Are there specific features that you find particularly helpful?

I use Oilbrush, Becasso and Graphite. Usually, I have an idea of what style I’m after, so I choose the app accordingly. Then, out of available Styles, I go through a few that I expect to do the trick. Sometimes I go through this process 2-3 times, although more often I’d use other apps, such as Brushstroke and Prisma. I use most features. Most useful, probably Style and Retouch. As I mentioned in my correspondence before, I hope to see a Project feature introduced soon. The inability to save a project and then return to it to continue editing is a significant flaw, in my opinion. I also hope to see better Masking function. I’d love to be able to isolate parts of the image and apply different styles to them easily. Another function that would be very useful is building an artwork from more than one image. One other thing to note is that I’m about to try using your software for video. I’m very excited about that.

Your art ranges from portraits to abstract patterns. How do you choose your subjects, and what message do you aim to convey through your work?

While my subject interests vary, there’s usually one commonality – they’re snapshots of things I notice when I’m out and about. You could say, I document reality and then transform it into an artwork. Often, this artwork is my response to that particular time and place, something that conveys “the moment”. I see compositions when I spot something of interest and find colour palette and style as I work with the image. I usually choose the style that gives me the strongest emotional response first. Sometimes, subjects are dictated by the brief. For example, when I collaborate with other artists and make pictures of their artworks. Or when I transform people’s photos into paintings.

TeMuri’s range of works

You exhibit your artwork on your website. In addition, you offer (virtual) exhibitions. Could you share more details on how you do your exhibitions and why you do it?

As an emerging artist, I work hard to get my work seen in real life. I realised recently that I need to invest more energy into drawing attention online. My goal is to build a subscription-based business, where fans pay to get access to my content, be it artworks and films or exclusive invitations to events. That’s why I’m actively releasing new work, presenting it as themed exhibitions. I enjoy telling stories, so I’ve started making art films out of my artworks. The next step is to incorporate a virtual museum environment into my site and present these artworks individually in conjunction with the film. All this to make subscription worth it and to entice my fans to consider purchasing individual pieces as paintings and prints.

You also take on commissions for private and corporate clients. How do you approach creating personalized works that resonate with your clients?

It starts with a conversation over their photos. I try to learn the story behind them and what draws the customer back to those memories. Then I spend some time creating digital artworks out of each photo and supply them with 2-3 alternatives. After they choose their favourite, I perfect it digitally and agree on the size and the framing before printing and painting. Normally, I don’t charge customers for the digital work, as I’m still building my pipeline. Sometimes, commissions require photography, in which case I add one more step.

What are some challenges you've faced in your artistic career, and how have you overcome them?

The two biggest challenges are making money from it and being taken seriously. There is stigma out there towards artists who use AI in their process. I’ve heard it many times, “I can do it myself, I have an app”. I must admit that on dark days, I can’t help but doubt myself too. But then I remind myself that art is in the eye of the beholder, and there are always going to be people who don’t dig my style no matter what I do and how I do it. As for making money, I’m sure every emerging artist faces this challenge, unless they’re super talented and super lucky. So I try not to overthink and carry on producing more work. One other challenge with my art is the need to master various tools rather than just one. In the last year, I had to learn how to use real paints and brushes, various apps, editing and grading software, as well as website building tools. Next up on my learning list are Photoshop, Aftereffects and Serato.

What are your future goals as an artist? Are there any new mediums or techniques you’re excited to explore?

I already touched on it above. My long-term goals are:

  • creating immersive story driven exhibitions, where I apply my creativity in various mediums (paintings, photographs, video, sound, music, lighting, design, performance, and of course, writing);

  • music videos and concert films;

  • feature films;

  • live performances, including theatre, with multimedia elements and my artwork embedded in design.

When you’re not creating art, how do you spend your time? How do your hobbies and interests influence your work?

Funnily enough, my girlfriend recently quipped that all I do is work. It’s especially sad since no matter how much I work, I’m still nowhere near financially stable. But that aside, consuming other people’s art is probably my biggest hobby, if I can call it so. Whether it’s watching movies, attending a gig or going to a gallery, the creativity of fellow artists inspires me the most. I also love walking and taking pictures, whether it’s in my neighbourhood or while travelling. I enjoy socialising with friends and meeting new people. With a good companion, I can talk about art and human condition until sunrise.

TeMuri’s journey as both an artist and filmmaker is a testament to the power of creativity. His unique perspective and passion for visual storytelling shine through in every piece he creates, inspiring others to explore their own artistic potential. We are proud to have artists like TeMuri in our community, using our apps to bring their vision to life in exciting and innovative ways.

Whether you are an aspiring creator or an experienced artist, we hope TeMuri’s story has sparked new ideas for your own creative process. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our User Spotlight series, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with our tools!