Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sydney Park. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sydney, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far was creating a custom “goddess” series with someone who I had met at an art show. She was interested in creating a goddess for her mom, sisters and herself. Each goddess focused on their individual passions/interests, physical attributes, favorite colors, etc. – even beauty marks and scars were represented on those who had them. Each goddess ended up being so unique, and it was very much so a collaborative process, which was super fun! I think the most meaningful aspect of this project was that it was done for a family of women. My goddess series is inspired by the female body and is more or less intended to be a symbol of empowerment, so I thought it was really cool that this particular client wanted to create custom prints for her mom and sisters, as well as herself, as a gift.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Sydney, otherwise known as Squid Ink! I create prints and stickers of my drawings that I mainly sell on Etsy. I sort of fell into the art world unintentionally. I work full time at an architecture/design firm (it’s what pays the bills), which is what I went to school for. Of course, that is a creative industry in itself, but I have always had a passion to draw/doodle/paint, even as a young kid; it is something I have always done to a certain extent in my free time. As I’ve gotten older, I have found my own style which is simplistic, bold and colorful. I tend to draw/paint things that focus on femininity & nature, although I do have some more random pieces as well. I never really intended to sell my work – I simply started sharing my art on social media (mainly Instagram) and people eventually started asking me for it. However, it wasn’t until I was invited to participate in an art show that I really started to take the selling aspect a little more seriously. The art show allowed me to not only show & sell my work, but connect with other people in my community (including other creatives) that I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. Since the pandemic, I have just been selling my work on Etsy, but I hope to participate in more events in the future, potentially start selling in some local shops, and continue this little side hustle I am passionate about!
While I don’t necessarily have a particular mission with my work, I am proud that I have been able to create pieces that have been meaningful to people in a variety of ways, and perhaps more specifically how my goddess series has resonated with women. At the end of the day, if any of my work can be visually stimulating and provide a sense of whimsy, curiosity, playfulness and/or empowerment, that is truly all I could ever ask for!
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think the best thing society can do to support artists/creatives is to buy local. It is understandably convenient to buy art, home goods, food – you name it, from large online retailers or big box stores. However, it is so much more meaningful (and sustainable) to support your local community. You will find yourself with a product that is not only more unique, but you will be directly supporting someone’s passion and livelihood, as opposed to giving large companies more money that they probably don’t need. It’s really about being more thoughtful and intentional with where you might purchase certain things (and it is something I could be better at, too!). With that said, it can sometimes cost more doing this, but it is important to remember you are supporting an individual (or small group of people) who are creating something special and spending a lot of time/resources doing so, and it is likely always a more sustainable option – win win! Additionally, I think it’s incredibly important to support local events/programs that cater to the creative community, and always always support creative programs for kids.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Yes! Though I know that mostly all creatives/artists can relate to this, I am personally aware of the fact that most non-creatives have little to no idea how much time, effort, resources, research, etc. that goes into a final product, especially if you are a one-(wo)man band and/or trying to grow and get exposure. There are a multitude of things that happen in between an idea and the final product that a consumer receives. Most of my art is very simplistic – it is not necessarily work that appears to be very complicated or detailed, and because of that I think people sometimes assume I can whip out a drawing/painting quickly. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! Even if it doesn’t appear to be so, I am meticulous about my work and spend a long time creating it. Resources and time both cost money, and sometimes people don’t really take the time to think about that, which is understandable! I would likely be the same way if I didn’t experience it firsthand. I think it is really easy for non-creatives to see a price tag on something and think it’s overpriced, but it’s always good to be mindful of what an artist had to factor into the equation to get to that price, and that it is something created by a human being vs a factory machine. It’s also important to keep in mind that someone’s art might be their only form of income to pay bills, and if it’s not, they are probably trying to get to a point where it eventually can be :)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SquidInkPark
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squid.ink.park
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