In many artistic disciplines and sports, people are told they should concentrate on one thing and one thing only. Being specialized seems to be the trend and what most industry leaders appear to believe in. However, there are exceptions to this. First, those industry leaders themselves that are more often than not great educators as well. But then, there are those people that truly shine in different domains such as Micayla Gatto. Watching her recent video where she rides her bike on mountains and her drawings is just an amazing experience, one you should see with your own eyes to believe it.
While physical activity and creativity may seem to be two very different worlds, many would be surprised to discover how much people that are professional athletes actually have a quite creative mind. Gatto is the living proof. She’s a professional mountain bike rider but she’s also a talented painter.
In the "Intersection" project, she brings the two disciplines together by adding her own drawings into video sequences of her riding her bike. She also explains her point of view on being good at doing multiple things well like she is and how being on her bike or drawing her the same thing for her: not thinking about anything else, being in the moment and enjoying it to the fullest. She even compares riding a bike to dancing, it’s a question of flow just as much as when painting with brushes.
Even if you don’t agree with her inspiring ideas, you have to appreciate the unique and quite well-executed video editing. The integration of her drawings is stunning and something not seen very often, especially in the extreme sports video industry.
For more details on the project, be sure to visit Red Bull's website.
What do you think of the video? Did you also enjoy her concepts and ideas? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.