Meet Sage Gallon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sage Gallon.

Hi Sage, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born Leslie but the name Sage came to me in prayer. I was born in New York in 1969, raised in a Commune called Synanon during my for notice years. We moved back to NY in 1979. My Mom divorced her then husband and worked as a Custodian. I was a good kid having been exposed to parents with substance issues, I hated ALL drugs and alcohol, I was a great student, Prom King and graduated in the top ten percentile.

After graduating from Hempstead High School (shout out to my only formal training, my Art Teacher Linda Shear I moved to the City where I studied Fashion Design. It was during this time I found Drugs… I went from having a great life to homelessness and addiction. I lived in that dark space for over ten years. I was living in Washington DC where a friend and Mentor, Walter Neal bought me a bunch of Art Supplies. I started painting then, 1994. I, still an addict & homeless, moved to Los Angeles in 1997. I soon after got sober but I had stopped creating. After an 11 year period of sobriety, I had a really bad relapse, one that almost killed me, I had shot a Photo Series at this time called “Crack(s)” to document that experience. I premiered it for my very first Exhibit 11/2013, Nebula at the Santa Monica Airport (by Youri Bujko). That Series got me named as One of the 40 Black Artists to Watch in 2014. I started painting again and sold my first piece in 2014. Thing escalated from there, from my first New York exhibit to being shown at The African American Museum in Philly. I produced my first Album, Naked Under My Clothes in 2015, I wrote and produced the Short Film under the same name in 2016 and have been creating through Painting, Photography, Film and other mediums ever since.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have been my biggest obstacle… but I’m working on that.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My paintings are Figurative Abstract, I work in Watercolors, Acrylic, Oils and Mixed Media. My photography tends to be more documentary style. I spent a year on the streets of Hollywood, Santa Monica and Highland, documenting the lives of an amazing group of Trans Kids, my crack(s) series documented the experience of a man who was addicted to crack and my Matthew’s 25:40 is a Series of Homeless. My Production Company; Raindeer Entertainment has created various forms of Art from Short Films like “Naked Under My Clothes and Anthology to shows like “On the Platter”. What sets me apart from others? I have been knocked down a few times but I always get up, I believe the ONLY failure is not trying and because I’ve never gone to school or been trained in anything I do, I’m always excited to learn.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?Believe Dream Work hard DO IT!!! You’re worth your dreams and know that there’s someone that needs to see the light you shine.

Contact Info:

• Website: Sagegallon.com
• Instagram: @sagegallon
• Facebook: Sage Gallon
• Youtube: Sage Gallon
• SoundCloud: Sage Gallon