Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Wickham.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My grandparents came from Cuba, settled in Eagle Rock. My mom met my dad, had my brother, then had me and now it’s 28 years later! In all seriousness, for as long as I can remember, making art has been my greatest joy. It’s been my safe place. When I was younger, It felt impossible that people would actually let me make art as a job. I feel like I am getting away with something…
Has it been a smooth road?
Has it ever been a smooth road for anybody? I feel like the reoccurring struggles I have had in pursuing a creative career have always been born of self-doubt. When I first was in college, I was on a much different path. I was kind of ignoring my lifelong dreams of a creative career and was thinking of pursuing a more “practical” career path. I did a semester of aimless studying and was in ROTC before I transferred to Cal State Long Beach and found myself at home in the art department. Also, in terms of reoccurring struggles, I think sometimes you can’t help but compare yourself to your peers and I feel like that plays out in me not feeling like I am good enough to even be considered equal to them. When I am in that place, I just have to do my best to remind myself that my individuality is my worth and there is room for everyone.
Please tell us more about your art.
I got my degree in illustration, so I think no matter what work I am creating those are the roots. I feel like I am known for a more cartoonish style and through the chaos that has been 2020, I have tried to find different ways to channel that into more meaningful work. At the moment, the work I am most proud of are my “Pray the Gay to Stay” T-shirts I just released. It’s a very personal project to me. I grew up a queer kid in the church and the lasting effects of that lingered for a long time, so this is kinda of the culmination of my own acceptance of who I am.
In terms of what sets me apart, I think that with any artist what sets them apart, what you are really investing in with their work, is their mind, their ideas. That is always growing and changing for me and I find it important to not limit myself to just one area. The start of the pandemic allowed me time to get back into oil painting and I have been working on some comics and got to make these T-shirts, it’s been such a gift. Having the ability to try different mediums or projects, I think just helps me grow as an artist.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We need art now more than ever. This city feels alive with creativity. It’s like Nina Simone said, “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” I have hope that the need and the impact of creatives will only become more alive and, ideally, their worth will be noticed. That’s my optimistic view for my industry, and I am not necessarily an optimistic person.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.storenvy.com/saywick
- Phone: 3235784357
- Email: saywickhamart@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saywick
- Other: http://www.saywickham.com/
Image Credit:
Evey Franceschini
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