Fear of judgment and rejection is enough to make even a talented person hide in their place of comfort, away from the prying eyes of the public that doesn’t understand or strongly criticizes.
That was the case with 21-year-old Brian Ilustrisimo Razon, a self-avowed “bedroom artist.”
Razon, who started painting at age 3, kept for 15 years his passion and its products inside the four walls of his personal space, his comfort zone—thus the term “bedroom artist”—for fear of judgement. “I was hiding because I did not have the confidence to show others what I could do and I kept my work to myself,” he shared.
But when he finally had the confidence to step out of his safe space, when he released his personal favorite project entitled “Only Fans” featuring his love of Japan and his fascination with the beauty of the skin, it gave him the nudge to finally showcase his art.
“‘Only Fans’ showed the other side of me, all bare and naked.”
The oil on canvas painting, which Razon considers the most daring piece he ever created, earned attention and thousands of engagements when he uploaded it to social media. The exposure gave him the courage to finally break barriers and take his craft more seriously.
“I’ve hidden away from judgment, but I suddenly realized that I would not grow if I stayed here—my room had enough of me playing safe,” he said.
From having a few requests from friends, he started to accept more commissioned portraits, landscapes, and conceptual paintings which helped with his family’s expenses especially during the financially crippling pandemic.
“It wasn’t an easy start,” he said, “but I am proud that my artworks saved my family. I was able to provide most of our needs during these trying times.”
The once bedroom-bound artist is now juggling client meetings with his online classes at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts where he is pursuing an architecture degree.
Razon said the school’s “inclusive” community also helped him gain more confidence, beneficial as he continues to grow his brand, readies himself to join competitions and group exhibitions, and hopes to collaborate with fellow creators.
When he is not painting, the young artist is engrossed in history books and the words of Edgar Allan Poe and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
His creativity also extends to other formats, saying he also ventured into the art of drag. “I love dressing up. I have sewn clothes. Styled wigs. Did make-up.”
Razon’s works can be seen on his Instagram (@peints.br and @brian.razon_) and Facebook pages (facebook.com/Peints.br/ and facebook.com/brian.razon.395).