Neil Chisierega’s Advice to Young Artists: “Save All Your Old Files”
If you don’t know Neil Sisiac by name, you are probably familiar with his work. He is thesongwriter for Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny , Potter Puppet Pals and many more . And he has some tips for vein-free artists.
Neil Sisiega became a popular artist in a very unconventional way. As he explains in the video above, he spent a lot of time at home school playing with various creative apps from the 90s (which are terrible by today’s standards), as well as online forums and IRC chats. He did work that he and those around him enjoyed, sharing it with the communities of like-minded people he found.
It’s an interesting story that highlights how success can come from the most obscure places, but it ends with a key point: “Keep all your old files.” This is half-joking, as the whole presentation is a journey through the strange lanes of Chicherega’s memory. However, these old files have important functions. They can support your creativity by reminding you of how your brain worked. More importantly, they show progress. As artists, it’s hard to remember a time when you weren’t as skillful as you are now, but looking back at the early work that you never published can tell you how far you’ve come.
Neil Sisiega, Internet Specialist | XOXO festival