We Watched Ourselves on the Big Screen In Oil City

Let’s be honest for a second: watching a video of yourself on a small phone screen is uncomfortable enough. Watching yourself on a giant auditorium screen in a room full of people? That is a special kind of heart-pounding, sweat-your-palms-off experience.

Believe it or not, despite putting ourselves out there, I am actually pretty camera shy. So when Klee and I were invited by Arts Oil City to participate in an artist interview watch party and roundtable, I had two simultaneous thoughts:

Awesome! Free refreshments and a great event!
Can I hide behind the chair?

A while back, we were interviewed for a video series produced by Devin Zagar of 7 Foot Productions, spotlighting creative professionals who are committed to Oil City. They asked us about our move here and what drew us to this incredible little corner of the world. Some of you might remember that back in 2021, we documented our own epic saga, our travel up north to hunt for a house, the buying process, and the grand moving adventure, in our vlog series. Fast forward to today: we are still deeply in love with the nature, the town, and most importantly, the people here.

So, we put on our big-kid shoes, showed up, and immediately started mingling with other amazing local creatives over some snacks. As the room filled up, it was clear just how much creative energy is buzzing in this community.

A cozy room with a wall displaying various guitars, featuring two people seated on a vintage couch. One person is wearing a hat and both are looking towards a large softbox light setup, with recording equipment and decorative items in the background. — Devin and Barbara came to the house to interview us, then Devin followed us around with a camera.

When it was time, we all filed down into the auditorium. We got to watch the incredible spotlight videos Devin put together, hearing everyone’s stories about their involvement in Oil City and what they contribute to the area. (Plus, we got to see two student-animated clips during the screening that were completely mind-blowing! The local talent around here is no joke!)

Then, suddenly, there Klee and I were, larger than life up on the screen. I’ll admit, I cringed a little bit at first. (I started talking about the hero’s journey? Why am I talking with my hands so much?) But once the initial shock wore off, it was actually amazing.

Two people seated in a cozy room filled with musical instruments, including guitars on the wall. One person has long, wavy hair and is wearing a green cardigan, while the other person, wearing a black jacket and a red bandana, is speaking. — This is pretty much the face I make during the whole interview.

After the videos, it was time to head up on stage for the roundtable discussion hosted by Arts Oil City. Klee and I took our seats, took a deep breath, and fielded questions about who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

And you know what? It ended up being a total highlight.

The questions and comments were so thoughtful, encouraging, and genuinely inspiring. Being in that room reminded me why we made the leap to move here in the first place. This town doesn’t just tolerate art; it actively embraces the weird, wonderful, creative journey that all of us are on. Sitting up on that stage, looking out at everyone, I somehow fell even more in love with this community.

A panel discussion featuring several individuals seated on stage, with a microphone in front of them, and a presenter standing next to a podium, in a community hall setting.

A huge thank you to Arts Oil City, Devin Zagar, and everyone who showed up, asked questions, or continues to make Oil City such a vibrant place to live and create. You guys made the awkwardness of seeing ourselves on the big screen 100% worth it.

If you weren’t able to make it in person, don’t worry, you can cringe along with me from the comfort of your own home!

Watch the full Artist Interview video here:

Artist Interviews with Kaleb Lewis, Jamie Bastello, Rafi & Klee, CJ Hurley, Kelsey May, Marcy Hall

And if you want to see where our whole wild journey started back in 2021, check out our house-hunting saga in our EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH series:

The Journey Begins – Hunt For Our Dream House Ep 1

Episode 1 of 20 – Follow us as we travel over 3000 miles to find our forever dream home. From Florida To Pennsylvania, we travel from place to place exploring …the wonders and artistic havens.

Support this channel by joining our Rogue Community on Patreon (We REALLY appreciate it): https://www.patreon.com/Rafiwashere

We have a bunch of FREE stuff for creative humans on our website (things like resources, a 6 hour Artist Masterclass, free courses, more videos, blogs, downloads, and who knows what else) in case you want more stuff from us: https://rogueartistcommunity.com/

Aaand if you want to know more about Rafi and Klee (That’s us) or you want to support us by buying some art, jewelry, or other creation go to our website: https://rafiandklee.com/

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