Billings PechaKucha...Uhmm...Pe-What-chKa?

What is a PechaKucha?

I was excited to receive an invitation by Collaborative Design Architects to make a presentation at the most recent PechaKucha in Billings.

I am sure you are wondering what this strange word is. First let me explain how it is pronounced: peh-CHAK-cha. This is a Japanese term which loosely translates as “chit chat” (as was shared with me.)

A PechaKucha is an event for creative people to share their work with the public. I use the term “creative people” because using the term “artist” seems to limit interpretation to the traditional painter, sculptor, photographer etc. that we only see in galleries & museums.

The purpose of the PechaKucha is to expose the community to the broad range of talented people that exercise their creativity everyday but are often not seen in galleries.

How does it work?

The presentation is also known as a “PechaKucha 20×20” or some just refer to it as a “20×20.” This is because the artist gets to show 20 slides for 20 seconds each for a total presentation of 6 minutes 40 seconds.

The artist has no control over the slide show. I could not pause it, back it up, or fast forward it. This keeps the pace of the show going. I really had to define what was the most important work and message that I wanted to share.

The PK 20×20 Experience

The venue is very relaxed. The public is already having a good time gallery hopping and is very receptive to seeing the artists share their work.

Part of the unique experience is due to the location. The PK 20×20’s are not normally held in a gallery but often in a warehouse, bar, or other informal setting. Still, most of the 11 artists seemed to be a bit nervous. This led to them making comical mistakes & remarks in their presentations but the crowd had a good laugh and the artists seem to loosen up.

I was not nervous at all until I stood up in front of the crowd. Then all of my thoughts fell out on the floor. The slide show started playing and my mouth, separate from my mind, started talking. Many artists had uncomfortable moments of silence in their presentations, but it seemed that my slides were changing faster than they had for the others. I talked non-stop and had to keep up with the ever increasing speed of the slide show.

When my presentation was over I sat down with little memory of what I had said. But after the show I got a lot of compliments on my work and presentation. This proves, once again, that my mouth has a mind of it’s own but fortunately it did not embarrass me this time.

The Value of PK 20×20

The PK 20×20 is a great venue for sharing your work. Locally it runs concurrent with the Billings Art Walk and the presentations start when the Art Walk ends.

It is an opportunity for sharing and defining your work to the local public. The audience is made up of a lot of people interested in art, other artists, architects, and designers. There is potential that some of these people will be looking for what I provide on future projects and now they know who I am and exactly the type of work I do.

Defining your work to the public is important. There were basically two types of people that approached me afterward. One group was impressed with my work but did not know I existed prior to the show. The other group thought they knew what I did and never bothered to check my website so they really had no clue. Their impression of me was anything from a handyman to trim carpenter but did not realize I was a Designer~Craftsman. So the PK 20×20 was a great opportunity to define who I am and what I offer.

A great follow-up to the show happened a week later when a guy approached me in a local coffee shop. He recognized me from the show and gave some very encouraging words on how impressive my work was and that he had enjoyed my presentation. That was a big boost for me:)

Another great value in participating was the connections made with other artists. I get a great deal of inspiration being around other artists, especially those that work in other disciplines. We often engage in stimulating conversations about the creative process and our projects. I find that exposing myself to other art develops my sense of design and I simply love being in the company of other “Creatives.”

One thing that is difficult for many of us to do is to stand in front of a large group of people and be the focus of attention. I felt that it was important that I take the opportunity to not only present my work but to get more experience speaking in public. This certainly has to be one of the best situations to practice public speaking.

Supporting Creativity and Art

A big “THANKS” goes to Collaborative Design Architects in Billings. They started the PechaKucha locally which is actually part of an international program. CDA’s goal with the PK 20×20 is to promote public awareness of the creativity & talent in Billings, MT and the surrounding region.

They have taken it upon themselves to shoulder this program with no other intent than to make the talent known and to support art in the local community. They understand the importance of art and creativity not only in architecture but the role and value it has in everyday life.

If you want to know more about PechaKucha check out PechaKucha.org and learn more about the program. You can see slide shows by artists from around the world and see if there is a local show that you can participate in which I encourage any artist or craftsman to do.

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

”I am not a public speaker but, apparently, my mouth is”

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com