We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sidney Tuggerson Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sidney, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
As a child I explored art with crayon and watercolors. Drawing little things like flowers, trees, and animals, about 5th grade, I began to draw people and explore painting; I then entered a correspondence school known as the Famous’s Art School, which I received a full-time scholarship in high school. Then, I went into the military service, where I joined the Marines Corps for several years and got out on an honor discharge in 1973. I worked as a heavy-duty mechanic For various Auto=Dealership until I went to work for the Los Angeles Unified Schools District for Twenty-five years’ after retiring in 2005; I could devote my time to painting and doing more creative arts. Throughout my years, I never ventured far from art. I took classes while in service and outside service. Wherever and Whenever I could in many different collages. After retiring, I joined the Local community, VETART.ORG Local city, and State IOS, Inglewood Open Studios, where I exhibited my work. I have had exhibitions in various venues, Galleria Pop-up Art with VETART.ORG shows, and collaborated with other artists. I have sold my work to many private collections of public art. Some of my work hangs in the city of Inglewood Senior Center and Kaiser at Baldwin Hills, CA. One of my paintings was donated to California State Dominguez Hill College, which hangs in their museum. I’m presently doing Pop for Veterans and working in the community as a collaborative effort, working with Pieces by Piece to design a mural for Metro to put up at the VA in Westwood.
Sidney, 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?
I got into my business though, SBC. Cause you must have a license to sell in California, keep it real. My craft is creating art in visual concepts in 2 or 3 dimensions. I hope to develop likenesses or something anyone would like to have in their home. All my art, all original sign dates, and authentication
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
It’s a big part of my driving force that keeps me wanting to create art, sometimes I want to quit, but in the back of my mind, it saying you got to create something
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
art grant and support through the state of California
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sidneytuggersonjr.com
- Instagram: Sidney Tuggerson Jr.
- Facebook: [email protected]
- Linkedin: [email protected]
- Twitter:[email protected]
- Youtube: [email protected]
- Yelp: [email protected]