About
Country Fried Minis is a labor of love focusing on creating fun video art surrounding this hobby of painting wargame miniatures! I'm here to insist that this craft is indeed worthy of an artist by flexing my artistic background in the modeling projects while also documenting the process, shaping the entirety of the effort into episodic deliveries of entertainment.
This channel has been evolving since my first video post in April of 2021. The content has come leaps and bounds from my initial offerings, and what once started as a project to convince myself to paint more models has now become a platform dedicated to bringing high quality projects to y'all in a fun fashion. At this point, CFM is so much more than its original intentions - no longer simply a place to show the mini painting process and fully painted models; this platform is more the face of a community that wouldn't be what it is without you.
The Artist
I'm Cameron A Thurston. Illustrator, tattooer, hobbyist, general creative type - all these labels fit and yet they don't fully encapsulate the whole picture. Though I've made art in many forms since adolescence, I cannot say that I've ever fit into a particular box. Sketching, painting, sculpting, converting, restoring, photography, and so much more come together to flavor my works. Whether working on models or line art or figuary or video - these disparate elements of experience gathered over the years of my life worm their influence into anything and everything I create.
Having grown up in a small town in Tennessee called Tullahoma, living through the 1990s and early aughts, I've had the distinct advantage of experiencing contrasts in many aspects of this existence. Whether considering my experiencing the death throws of analog entertainment through the birth and proliferation of digital standards, the contrast of a semi-rural life as compared to living in the dense city of San Francisco, or even the virtual nature of video art versus physical media; my artistic experience is deeply informed by a dualistic comparison.
Long story short, as is the case with any creative type, my collective experience informs my creations. I relish that my personal history includes such pivotal moments in hobbying and digital media alike, and I hope to include small snippets of this lifetime so far in my work.
Statement
My work represents a compelling fusion of creativity and craftsmanship, focusing on breaking the traditional boundaries that distinguish art from craft. Influenced primarily by the exploration of hobbyist crafts and inspired by visionaries like John Blanche, Roman Lappat, and numerous content creators, I have embarked on a mission to redefine presumed boundaries between hobby and art.
Delving deep into the meticulous world of miniature scale models, I aim to transform what is often perceived as "craft" into a canvas for visual storytelling. This process allows me to present my passion and imagination through unconventional mediums and unconventional methods. The spirit of play, experimentation, community, and the art of entertainment are at the core of my work, as I bridge these two realms. Beyond the creative effort involved in the hobby craft, my art manifests through the medium of video, transforming the entire process into an art form in its own right.
Each video I produce stands as an independent work of art, providing an intricate exploration of individual projects, which, in themselves, evolve into unique pieces. By seamlessly weaving wordplay, camera presence, and expert craft techniques, I create a multi-faceted artistic output that challenges the conventional definitions of art and craft. In essence, I make art out of making art, all while inviting others to make their own art.
My commitment extends beyond the confines of my creative endeavors. Through my platform, I aim to make my passion accessible to a broader audience, striving to expose more individuals to my creative world through the lens of entertainment. This endeavor is not merely about asserting that craft is art; it is a philosophical exploration that blurs the lines between these definitions, reimagining the possibilities that arise when artistry and craftsmanship seamlessly intertwine. My work is a testament to the many potential angles of creative expression, simultaneously making art out of the beginning and end products as well as the process in between.
Further, my presentation encourages viewers to accompany me on a journey that celebrates the artistry in the unconventional, the transformation of ordinary into extraordinary, and the redefinition of what is typically considered "art."
Contact Information
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any comments, questions, or a desire to collaborate! Though I prefer discord for most communication (link below!), if you need to get in touch... here's my deets ;)
Cameron A Thurston
1190 Howard St Apt 205
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 876-9453
thurston_studios@hotmail.com
Meet people like you
Join our community on discord and check out the fun things on offer by like-minded hobby enthusiasts: https://discord.gg/ySTBm67MH6
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