We recently connected with Sydney Schwindt and have shared our conversation below.
Sydney, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
A lot has changed in the last several years and it’s hard to examine life as an artist without acknowledging that. There has been a lot of doubt and insecurity as much of the artistic world has been thrown for a loop – myself included. Having spent the majority of my adult life making all of my living through my artistic endeavors, suddenly that wasn’t possible anymore. I had to reevaluate and do things differently. It forced me out of my community bubble and into other passions. One of these being environmental justice. I found myself working for an environmental foundation. It felt good to be doing something active to help our world – to be spreading hope and supporting positive solutions. Yet, at the same time I didn’t feel whole. I’ve been a movement professional and here I was stuck behind a computer. Yes I was working on projects I believed in, but I felt my artistic muscles atrophying and crying out to be used.
Surges of creativity would hit me and I started to realize I can take this new world, this new work and apply it to my artistic fields. I started writing Shakespeare and the Environment lesson plans, I began ideating paintings, stories, series, and other projects that would help the planet as well as examining current methods of theatre and the arts with an environmentalist lens.
It’s still a journey and a balance, but I realized I cannot not be an artist. I am in every fiber of my being. At the same time, every project I apply myself to ends up having an artistic lens and inspires me to create in new ways. Life becomes the art as well as the products and projects I work on.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am an actor and fight director as well as a theatre educator and illustrator. All of these are different creative ways of observing life around you and interpreting stories. Storytelling is at the heart of everything I do. In particular, storytelling that hopes to help make the world a better place; whether it is by bringing a smile to your face, starting a conversation, or helping someone get to know themself better. It’s less about the medium of art, but the way in which I engage with the world.
A little bit about how I got started in each of my fields. First came acting. I fell in love with acting at the early age of 9 when doing a school production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. I knew then and there that I wanted to be in theatre for the rest of my life. The chance to play and bring stories to life as a job was perfect, but also the community was essential to my growing up. I found my fellow weirdos in the theatre and in that I found home. It was a place where my strange ideas and silliness were not looked down upon, but celebrated. Through acting I discovered stage combat in high school and started to pursue it more seriously in college. All of my first jobs included both fighting and acting…. and I loved it! Stage combat helps the actor explore the duality of character brain vs. actor brain.
As for teaching, I went on tour with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival as Rosalind in their production of “As You Like It”. We were required to teach hour long playshops (workshops, but more fun). I was terrified at first, but once I got the hang of it, it was great to see students getting to know Shakespeare and these plays in a very personal way. I really fell in love with teaching when I started teaching my own lesson plans in stage combat, Shakespeare, movement, and commedia dell’arte.
As for illustration work, it ties heavily into my theatre career. I’ve always done a bit on the side. I’ve always been drawing since before I can remember. Creating show posters for friends, painting signs or sets for shows, making elaborate opening night cards for casts. But in 2020, I started to take it more seriously. With 14 theatre contracts cancelled, I had nothing to do. It took me awhile, but I officially launched my illustration business under the moniker True Edge Art in November of 2020. I was thrilled to see it take off. A lot of my early work centered stage combat themed pieces. I had no idea there was such a desire for sword themed art! It amazes me how you follow your passion and it has the possibility to create community. Combining all of loves into illustration has led me into some really fun commissions and meeting awesome likeminded humans.
Over all of this is the need for Environmental Justice. There is a lot of systematic injustice in our world and that systematic injustice not only hurts people, but is killing our planet. Art is at the forefront of cultural change. As we change the stories we tell, we see the world start to shift. It is up to us as artists and creators to herald in a new world. We have the unique capability of envisioning the future for better or for worse. We can cultivate empathy as well as shine a light on hope. There is an immense power in stories. They are how we recount our day, remember history, and share ideas. Artists have the responsibility to shape these stories into a positive and inclusive future, shine light on injustice, and call for change.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Currently, society does not support the arts. They are often looked on as something extra or useless. We can see this as arts programs around the country have been gutted or completely cancelled. Many grad schools are closing their doors. Our current model of support is either donor based or transactional (i.e. ticket costs). Society needs to understand that art is more than just something pretty to look at. It is necessary for a healthy and thriving human world. It’s benefits aren’t reaped immediately, but the ripple effect is huge.
Theatre classes teach empathy, collaboration, creative and critical thinking, active listening, public speaking, etc. Art and music have similar important skillsets that they foster. We aren’t necessarily teaching people to be artists in these classes, but teaching people how to be good humans. I believe that at least one art (theatre, music, dance, visual arts, etc) class should be required in grades K-12. Theatre classes should be available in all middle and high schools. Theatre is an empathy gym and this world could use a lot more empathy.
For professional artists and arts programs there should be federal or state subsidies. Many theatres rely on universities for their company to thrive, but our universities are feeling the weight. Education is also under funded… and it’s currently taking from the students. We need to decrease these heavy costs on students, forgive student debt, and support our universities.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Don’t try to be anyone else. You are you. You’ll never be anyone else. You are enough.
Your art is made better and stronger because it is done by you. It is your life experience wrapped up in your creation. Two artists can draw the exact same subject matter, two actors will play the same part – but it will be completely different because they two are different people with two different lives and perspectives. That difference is to be celebrated! All the things that make you who you are, the good and the bad, are the pieces that make your art unique and beautiful. Lean into who you are. Show it off! It is your asset. It is what sets you apart from everyone else.
And it’s okay to lose who you are or not know who you are. A dear friend once told me that life is a cycle of finding yourself just to lose yourself again. Luckily, everyone experiences a similar process, so someone somewhere will relate and love what you do. Art help us with that process. It is a critical part of self actualization. Be you, tell your story through whatever medium speaks to you most.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TrueEdgeArt.com ; www.sydney-schwindt.com
- Instagram: @TrueEdgeArt
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/TrueEdgeArt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-schwindt-85882a18/
Image Credits
Additional photos 1 – Cumulus Light Photography www.CumulusLight.com 3 – Aly & Krishna Hawk 5 – Cumulus Light Photography www.CumulusLight.com 6 – Michael Ulrich 7 – Fight Guy Photography 8 – Cumulus Light Photography www.CumulusLight.com Personal photo – Cumulus Light Photography www.CumulusLight.com