By lauren gallegos

7 October 2008

Q. What's your name?

A. Kenny Valentino..no middle name.

Q. To where are you native?

A. I was born in Boston, Massachussetts

Q. When did you become interested in art?

A. Well my mother is a painter and my father is a photographer aswell as a sculptist. So growing up around art i became interested at a very young age.

Q.What forms art are you most interested in?

A. I'd have to say all of it. It's such an important part of society. I respect all art but I participate in photography,painting,graffiti,and composing music.

Q. When did you paint your first noticed piece?

A. I believe I was in sixth grade. My art teacher assigned a fruit project so I painted a pear. I took the pair and applied it to the shape of a woman's body,she was very impressed.

Q. When did you start participating in photography?

A. 'smiles' My dad bought me my first camera when I was 11, i haven't put it down since!

Q. What do you like so much about photography?

A. Well I love being able to capture something so simple and making it beautiful. Or even being able to find something sublimable and allowing it to be seen!

Q. You mentioned composing music, when did you partake in this?

A. Um i started in orchestra in middle school. I played violin,cello, and bass. Then my grand-dad taught me to play guitar and from there I taught myself the drums. I now have been writting music for 3yrs.

Q. Do you have aspirations to become a big artist?

A. No, I don't really want to use it to make money. Its just something i enjoy doing.

Q. What is your definition of art?

A. Art to me is taking the ordinary things in life and making the bigger, better. Taking an object and twisting its shape or color or presenting it another way to make it interesting and captivating to others.

Q. Now you were telling me earlier about art being energy..can you elaborate?

A. Well my parents were both passionate artists and they sadly pasted away five years ago(he was 15). When they died I thought I'd never do art again but art had become a way of living. I couldn't stop. I suprisingly advanced dramatically in painting and enjoyed it more than ever. I believe art is a form of energy flowing through everyone and it connects us to one another. When i am participating in art,whatever the form, i feel closer to the earth as well as my parents.

Q. Do you have any advice for me as a learning photographer?

A. Well you know what I've seen some of your work and its great. You seem to enjoy it...I'd just say keep experimenting and don't be afraid to capture things that may seem awkward. Anything awkward can become beatuiful or meaningful. Step out of the boundary of just people and landscapes and explore a bit more.

Q.What photography portfolio/project are you currently working on?

A. Well I've been here in Albuquerque for three months, so i'm actually putting a album together called," new casa." 'chuckles' sounds brilliant right!? I think there's a lot to be appreciated here and i've met some interesting people,including yourself, and i'd like to collect images of these humbling things.

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