Winter in High School
Photo from the second clothing collection.
THE SECOND HALF of this story was how I felt after seeing small scale success. Once people started to hear about what I was doing they wanted to be part of it. Photoshoots, free clothes, the like. I only gave the former. I was selling here and there but mostly it was about promotion. I wanted to carry these potential supports to my next, bigger venture. The weirdest, but best part of it was walking into any room, any class, that I've never been in, and having people point me out,
"Hey, thats the LEMON guy!"
Typical advertising. I got the popular kids. The football players, the cheerleaders, whoever had a big following and I offered them free photoshoot.
Just like mainstream artists wearing brands, this got the school ticking with mine. Parodies even ensued, "lime", "orange", I thought it was hilarious. Whether a joke, or serious, it didn't matter to me, it was growing my knowledge of the industry, and growing the collective identity of LEMON.
What it all came down to for me was my true supports, my friends, the ones who wanted more than just a photoshoot, but to inspire me. I think that's what resonated with me the most at the end of the day. It wasn't really about the numbers.
LEMON HAS BEEN a wild ride so far. I've learned a lot. I've learned about people, and how they're motivated. I've learned about time and how it speeds by. I've learned about character, and how it shows through in a photograph. Many things are hard to create, but for the artist it is universe that guides their hand. Creation is as easy as destruction, but a true artist doesn't destroy.
Time shapes everyone, and things are always changing. Capturing a moment, is art. Capturing an emotion is art. Expressing yourself is the most important thing in life. Like music, my art through LEMON has taught me about many things, and allowed me to feel many emotions. LEMON is one of the few things I can feel good about during my high school years, and I think if I had spent more time invested in creating things that I cared about and less time expecting others to care just as much about it, then I would've been a lot more successful.
Why do you think we create? I create because I have to, because I want to. It's in my blood, it's in my energy, it's in my soul. I think we create because it's in our destiny. I think we create because it's in our nature. Everyone works towards a goal. Just make sure that every step you take is in the direction you want to go.
