We recently connected with Sidney Sanders and have shared our conversation below.
Sidney, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I actually didn’t know you could make a living creating art the way I did. I never thought about the artists that created album covers, murals, apparel, etc. It just never crossed my mind. That may be due to where I’m from, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. There is no “art scene” there whatsoever. I only thought about fine artists such as Michael Angelo, Van Gogh and even Picasso. I didn’t create art like them. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college, 2014, that I was introduced to such a thing through social media. Distorted and Marcus Prime were the first visual artists that I followed on social media. Their art was weird, bright and stylistic. That’s when I knew my art didn’t have to stay a hobby. I always knew I would do something creative.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Sidney VaDale. I got into this art world by constantly posting my art online, meeting various artists around the city and doing a bunch of art shows. It was cool because I didn’t know anything about anything but I had so much drive. I’m inspired by alot of things. I love cartoons, film, music, any form of expression is exciting to me. I don’t really have a certain method to how I come up with things. Sometimes it’s random, sometimes I dream about it. My favorite thing to do is paint. I love making something come alive from my mind, it’s the coolest.
I’m thankful that the clients I have had understand my style and are very open to having me bring their vision to life. My stuff can get kind of weird but they understand that. It’s never really been an issue because my stuff is bright and bold so most people already know what to expect. I think what sets me apart is my ability to come up with these cool images, and characters that a lot of demographics can enjoy. Kids and adults alike.
I’m proud of my progression. I’ve gotten so much better over the years but my style is constant. It’s crazy to watch your self grow but also know that whatever place I’m in, I’m the best at the moment. It’s wild to think about where my creativity will be in the coming years. Things like that make so excited. My work is always changing and that’s what keeps me going. My mind never stops and the art is a reflection of that.
I want people to understand and know that this is a world that I have created, you are welcome to join if you’d like.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
The first art show I was ever in was one I put on with 3 of my friends. We planned this show in exactly one month. We didn’t know anything about curating but we made it happen. We drove around the city, going to different venues, asking around and we found this small spot that offered us the place for free. The turn out was way more than we ever expected. It was packed. That let me know right there that I could do anything when I was laser focused. We had no money or resources but we created our own.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Watching something that once didn’t exist and now it’s real and tangible
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flyerart.bigcartel.com/?_gl=1*yy1mf6*_gcl_au*MTExNDc3MjA4MC4xNzA5NDMzMTgw*_ga*MjA2MzI2NzMwMS4xNzA5NDMzMTgw*_ga_QZ4HDFTSEZ*MTcwOTQzMzE3OS4xLjAuMTcwOTQzMzE3OS42MC4wLjE4MzEyMTk5OTc.
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbyalienn/
- Twitter: https://x.com/bbyalienn/status/1709286854527205674?s=46&t=CvyCpUnG9KoR13IAplpAEA
Image Credits
Photo of me taken by Sofi Engobor