Check Out Sean Perreira’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Perreira.

Hi Sean, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a first generation American, born of Colombian-Guyanese immigrants. I was born and raised in South Florida (Which feels most accurate to share because I lived in 5 different homes in my childhood, between North Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Miami Beach, and North Miami). My parents were divorced before I was born, but I always embraced the movement that came with going back and forth between them and their immediate families. I have an older sister that is my greatest companion in life, she knows me better than anyone, no matter how much we’ve been through individually in our early adulthood. I was a very awkward little kid (very cute though!) In middle school, I started to love pop, visual art and storytelling in a combination of ways. My family was naturally very loud, creative and open-minded. As a closeted pre-teen in 2008, desperate to feel empowered by my self-expression, I started to dress up for school, which my mom loved to see. Things like straightening my hair, wearing jewelry, among other little things that gave me a sense of individuality. It was a vulnerable time for me, but the more I focused on learning about myself and what made me feel good, that faster my confidence evolved. I dealt with a lot hate for my queerness, even though I wasn’t open about it, people just recognized it in me and chose to make conclusions for themselves. Some days going home on the bus were just traumatizing. I didn’t have many friends in school for many years, but the ones I did have in my neighborhood we’re the kind that knew I seemed “different” and chose to love that about me. It’s definitely a part of how I learned to love myself too! Another reason to be grateful.

I got myself a small digital camera, like so many who jumped on Tumblr and other new sites to discover themselves within these emerging online communities. I made friends I would never meet in person and became obsessed with finding accounts with cool design templates, new music, and inspiring queer icons. Between 2011 to 2015 (High school for me), I tackled every creative medium I could get my hands on. I took photos constantly, made posters for events, productions and clubs as a hobby, and was a glorified event planner in student government (I was that gay kid I guess!). I was an actor in the drama club as well as crew on the technical team. I took all of the film classes and helped establish the first annual student film festival.

I’m really grateful for that experience, which in hindsight was about exploring so much about myself through collaborative arts. By the end of 2014, I was accepted to Boston University, where I ultimately settled on joining the Theatre arts, design and production program in the College of Fine Arts. My time at BU CFA was filled with the same multidisciplinary experience that I seemed drawn to in my early adolescence. I immediately started working in the school’s office as a graphic designer and assistant to administration, started seeking out opportunities to perform, took photos of friends, and made short films. My curriculum was a combination of performance, set design, and art history. I would go on to design over ten productions, perform in 3 thesis projects and a main stage musical. The most important discovery of my creative pursuits by the time of graduation was that what I loved the most was working with other passionate people.

For a long time, I would get caught up in feeling like I wasn’t really great at anything because I spent so much time trying new things. This was actually my power, my secret weapon and my reason to continue pursuing this work professionally. I found myself in Los Angeles in August 2019. I had a single suitcase of belongings, no plan, but with a ready and willing attitude to keep hustling. Within the first month, I was working with a production studio in Chatsworth as a carpenter, assistant designer and event contractor. I later picked up more work as a freelance production designer through a handful of commercials and music videos. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, until of course the pandemic and subsequent closures, stay-at-home orders and eminent danger came into full effect in March 2020. We were all forced to stop and adapt.

It was hard to feel like I had the ground pulled from beneath me. I had been contemplating a move to New York as of January that year, feeling restless at the thought of “settling” for a career journey in Los Angeles – which in reality had been welcoming me with open arms. I was practically about to step on the plane when the airline canceled my flight. My sublet backed out and my impending plans with friends in the east coast went out the window. The pandemic changed everyone’s plans and lives in some way, so I’ve found solace in knowing that.

For months after that, I felt stuck in LA. I was grasping the reality of the whole situation day by day, and then I realized how lucky I was to still be in this amazing city. I shook off the disappointment, self-doubt and fear to start focusing my energy on how I can continue to create and share work with new communities. I wanted to use my voice to uplift those around me and be a channel of inspiration in a time of unparalleled growth for our generation.

The events of summer 2020 were like an uproar of momentum that had been building for what felt like decades, even a lifetime for some. We marched in downtown Los Angeles to fight against the police brutality that continues to take black lives and affect BIPOC communities. We donated to local and national relief efforts, signed petitions and joined new groups to continue educating ourselves. I was so lucky to be in Los Angeles. I felt inspired by the history happening in front of me. More than anything, I felt the passion emanating from the streets through the voices and actions of our people. I’m certain the community in New York, communities everywhere in fact, felt the same in some way – but I was happy to embrace this new attachment to the community I was standing in.

Then comes Construct zine, the project that gave me the most purpose, connection and passion to share in 2020. It started as a small blog that was meant to share work by artists in quarantine, reflecting on personal growth and the impetus to create in our time. What it has become is a 128 pg. magazine featuring dozens of artists from around the world. I’m so proud of this magazine and I’m even more inspired by the work that these artists shared. It’s definitely one of my greatest accomplishments in my early career.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest challenge has always been fighting against the idea that I need to be “successful” (which means nothing other than being happy, as I’ve come to decide). It’s fighting against this weird fear that I need to do something worthy of “recognition” or I risk losing all of my momentum. I think that feeling was born out of my use of social media as a pre-teen, seeing so many self-made actors, designers and personalities under the age of 22 with their faces on print covers and billboards. It’s so harmful to always compare yourself. I still fight that instinct to this day, but I think I was able to finally navigate around it enough in this past year so that I could get this magazine in my hands.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a production designer, graphic designer and visual artist, photographer, model, and lover of architecture, urbanism and fashion. I couldn’t tell you what I “specialize” in if I tried, and I think my ultimate goal is to move as far away from doing just one thing as I can. I would say I’m most known for my collaborative nature and energy. Whether I’m on a commercial or film set working with dozens of people, or I’m just with a model and my camera taking pictures in the city, the thing I hear the most is – “I always have a good time working with you!” It’s both flattering and super reassuring to know that I can get my job done and have a good time with anyone I’m around. All I hope to be is a good time, with the tools and passion to create timeless art. I’m most proud of my self-sufficiency and hustle. I have always been someone who goes after what I want and knows how to advocate for myself. I think everyone is unique in their creativity and essence, and I personally hope that my work speaks to the way I see the world in all of its glory and vulgarity.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I’ve learned to see the community around me as a part of me – if that makes sense. I think before I was moving so fast and was so caught up in my haphazard goals that I didn’t notice the way people and things really flowed. A city like Los Angeles is chaotic enough and even still I was begging for the kind of chaos in a place like Manhattan. I’ve learned to find beauty and happiness in isolation and also to cherish other people’s presence in my life with fervor – strangers, friends and family alike. I’ve learned to take my life day by day, accepting the fact that I’ll always have to evolve and adapt. I’m also learning to see the breadth of my lifetime, and while making efforts to take better care of myself, I’m realizing that there’s so much time to experience the world as a whole. I could very well be in LA for the rest of my life and be obnoxiously happy about it, or I could move next month in a sudden fit – I think anyone who knows me wouldn’t be surprised either way, but the lesson has been to just embrace it all.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: seanperreira.com
• Instagram: sap.png
• Other: constructzine.com

Image Credits:
Image of me by Stephanie Noritz Images are of “Baby Phrenzy” (pink hair), Conrad Sundqvist-Olmos (CASO) (blue sweater), and of my portfolio site. Other image of me in white sweater is by Conrad Sundqvist Olmos.