Conversations with Sight Zilla

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sight Zilla.

Hi Sight, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Life started living house to house and being homeless a lot. My mother struggled a lot as a single mother, sometimes prostituting herself to feed my sister and me. Drawing pictures for my mother made her smile, and I felt it gave her inspiration to keep going. I never knew until now how powerful my art was in my early childhood. Through the years, art has been a mentor and guiding star. My family struggled still through my teenage years, which forced me to steal food from grocery stores for my sister and me. Yet drawing and doing art kept my spirits up. After graduating from high school, my mother kicked me out of the house, and I was homeless again. I started doing graffiti, an expression that helped save my life and gave me a sense of identity. I loved doing graffiti so much that I got in trouble with it. Thirty-four years of prison time, a million-dollar bail, and over a thousand dollars of restitution. I took a plea deal for nine years and was lost to the prison industrial complex. While in prison, I watched the drugs, killing, and suffering that was hidden behind the walls. My art healed people, transcended color lines, defeated racism, and became a love story. After surviving prison, I decided to do classes for the public to share my love story through color, expression, and free spirit. Art has consumed me and all I have left to give the world is inspiration.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Racism, Patriarchy, and Classism have been obstacles along the way. My medium in most places and hearts is heavily criticized and judged. The debate over showing the multi-dimensional aspects of graffiti has been quite intense. Many people of color who do graffiti are seen as criminals, yet those of non-color that do graffiti are seen as street artists. Most people don’t think I do graffiti because I am black. Graffiti is not allowed in most art galleries because it is not considered art. If graffiti were a people, it would be a low-class people who suffer from misunderstanding and a lack of opportunity.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I do spray paint classes inspired by my love of graffiti. I do classes that inspire spiritual healing and emotional healing through the use and instruction of spray paint techniques.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Doing graffiti is all about risk. Life is about risk. Dreaming big is a risk. There is no settling when there is risk. If you want to make a name for yourself and become a true individual, you must take a leap of faith every day. I have taken risks to be a better artist, a better father, a better partner, and a better lover.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sightzilla.com
• Instagram: sightzilla

Image Credits
All images were done by me, Sight Zilla.