We recently connected with Sya Anderson and have shared our conversation below.

Sya, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I am currently working as a full-time artist, with a pretty even balance between painting and tattooing. One thing I wish I had been told early in my career is that there’s no shame in having several jobs, and you certainly don’t need the pressure of paying the bills with art when you’re finding your footing in the industry. I have never asked my art to support my living, I’ve always made sure my living supported my art-making. I know this might seem backwards to some, but I’m really glad I didn’t invest money in merchandise or print editions too early either. Instead of spending my time vending or marketing products, I focused on making better art and cultivating technical skills. I really do think my focus on growing rather than selling has given me a stronger foundation.

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

I started painting really late in life; I was 24! I had always been an artist though. I was heavily involved in competitive dance and community theater when I was younger. I started painting after seeing live painters at music festivals, and after making one painting, I was hooked! While I was teaching myself to paint and doing commissioned work, I supported myself by performing at music festivals, concerts, clubs, and on cruises.

Looking at my work, I think what sets me apart initially is that every painting I make is completely different from the next. I typically paint whatever interests me at the moment, and my insatiable curiosity leads to variety. My practice is also very spiritually-guided, and I value expression and growth more than I do fitting into a particular style.

On the tattoo side of things, I consider myself a “holistic tattooist” because my number one priority is my client’s joy and safety. I’ve heard countless horror stories about other tattoo studios, and I’m really excited to enter the industry with great care and compassion. Tattooing can be very intimate, and I approach it as more of a ritual than a service.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

This past year has been WILD for me haha. I got the project of my dreams, which was creating an oracle deck with 60 paintings over the course of a year. During the project, I was diagnosed with the BRCA1 gene mutation, which makes me very high-risk for several forms of cancer, and I had to undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. I ended up having the surgery in April of this year, but still had 10 paintings left in the oracle deck to finish while I was recovering. It was a pretty stressful situation to go through while working in such a high-capacity, but I’m so grateful I did it. It really taught me to slow down and listen to what my body needs.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

When I started painting, I was overwhelmed by the sea of creative instructors online. It can be challenging to weed through what’s most practical for you. Here’s a comprehensive list of my favorite resources:

Procreate – by far the most useful application I’ve ever used. It really sped up my progress in learning color theory and composition. Now I use the 3D modeling features for better tattoo design too.

Most useful books – “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert, “Color and Light” and “Imaginative Realism” by James Gurney, “Classical Painting Atelier” by Juliette Aristides, “Portrait Painting Atelier” by Suzanne Brooker, and “Figure Drawing for Artists” by Steve Huston.

Skillshare and Domestika – any time I want to tackle a specific technique, these platforms always have good options for instruction. I try to avoid YouTube.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.artofsya.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/artofsya
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/artofsya313
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/artofsya

Image Credits
Studio portraits by Victor Koos