We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Samantha Franklin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Samantha below.

Alright, Samantha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My latest series is one that holds significant importance to me especially during a time of civil unrest. In January 2023, I painted an iconic candy, Bazooka Bubble Gum, a global brand that has a particularly strong and unique presence in Israel.
It began in 2022 with Wrigley’s chewing gums – Juicy Fruit, Big Red and Doublemint. Three paintings depicted with their vintage labels accompanied by sultry, nude women positioned atop the confectionaries. I was drawn to the nostalgia and playful advertising wherefore my appreciation for old-fashioned aesthetics started to be represented in my work.
Naturally, for me, Bazooka was the next piece to join the “gums”; though this time it would be created in Hebrew – a language that I’d studied for many years during grade school. This would be the beginning of my Israeli Pop Art series.
Painting Bazooka tapped into my deep well of cultural memory – how my grandparents always kept a stash in their pantry strictly because they were kosher for Passover.
But not only does the painting evoke childhood memories, it becomes a joyful reminder of shared experiences – of small pleasures, familiar language, and the simple things that connect generations.
After October 7th, 2023, I found myself needing to reconnect – not through grief, but through rejoicing. Painting Jewish/Israeli products is my playful response to offer a lighthearted and fun way to reconnect with my Jewish roots and family in Israel. Rather than a theological or Zionist statement, my work celebrates cultural Judaism – the kind I grew up with in food, songs and school. It’s accessible, emotional and unpretentious. I offer a portal to belonging that doesn’t require a political position – just a smile, a memory or a spark of recognition.
Reproducing these goodies on canvas becomes a visual shorthand for togetherness, innocence, and the magic of ordinary days. Perhaps they can offer healing for viewers feeling alienated or overwhelmed by current events.

Samantha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Samantha, but most people call me Sam. I’m a New York-based artist who finds joy in reclaiming and reimagining cultural imagery with a wink. My work lives at the intersection of American and Jewish identity, Israeli merchandising, vintage advertising and pop culture – always with a cheeky twist (pun absolutely intended).
I grew up in Westchester County with a deep love for art, spending my childhood at the Rye Arts Center and later building a formal foundation at SUNY Purchase. I earned my BFA in Painting from Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, then dove into the New York City art world, interning, volunteering, and eventually landing full-time roles at top modern and contemporary galleries across Manhattan. All the while, I painted in the margins, nights, weekends, in the corner of my one-bedroom apartment, at a shared studio in Chinatown, until those margins became my main focus.
Motherhood and an unexpected move back to the suburbs prompted a creative turning point. I embraced full-time art-making with equal parts excitement and uncertainty, stepping into this new chapter as both an artist and new parent. Since then, I’ve been exhibiting locally with upcoming shows in the greater New York area.
My work is bold, nostalgic and conversation-starting, often drawing on retro brands layered with themes of gender, sexuality and cultural identity. I love creating pieces that are provocative and/or joyful, often with deeper meaning beneath the surface. What sets my work apart is its playful earnestness – the ability to make viewers smile AND think at the same time.
I’m also passionate about community. I teach art to younger generations, support causes close to home and use my platform to spark dialogue through visual story-telling. At the end of the day, I want people to feel seen, to feel something and maybe give a little smirk at the same time.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is creating work that brings people together, across generations, cultures, identities and time. I love when a piece of art brings someone joy or pulls them into a memory. When someone lights up and says, “This makes me feel both hungry and nostalgic!” – that’s where the magic lives.
I think of my work as Pop Art made personal, filled with color, humor and cultural touchstones that invite people in. But it’s not just about aesthetics. It’s about creating a shared experience.
Equally important to me is using my art as a way to give back by supporting local causes, nurturing the next generation and sharing art with the wider community. Sharing creativity in public spaces and classrooms makes the process feel even more meaningful.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There was a point in my life when everything shifted all at once. I became a mother, started a new job that ultimately wasn’t the right fit and relocated our home. It was a collision of major life events that left me feeling disoriented and overwhelmed. I was navigating postpartum challenges and a growing depression. Everything I thought I had control over felt like it was unraveling.
That period forced me to pause and reexamine everything: What does my family need from me? What do I truly value? And where did my creativity, something that had always been a part of me, fit into this unfamiliar world?
That moment of crisis became a pivot point – not away from art but toward it. I realized that painting and drawing weren’t just hobbies or side pursuits; they were my lifeline. Art gave me autonomy, clarity and a sense of purpose when everything else felt uncertain. It became a way to process what I was going through and begin rediscovering myself.
Leaving my last job gave me space to reconnect with my creative voice. I began to make work that was more personal, rooted in culture, memory and emotion. That pivot taught me something powerful – that reinvention isn’t just a detour; it’s where your truest work often begins.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.samanthatfranklin.com/
• Instagram: @stfranklinart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-franklin-695b279b