If there is a word for perseverance in the world of street inspired art, Sand One is one such example. Hailing from the roots of East Los Angeles, California (commonly referred to as East LA), the pint-sized twenty-one year old Latina artist is making a name for herself, her art and the communities she’s inspiring and it would appear the world is watching! She is one of the rawest female talents to emerge from the explosive epicenter of the street art phenomenon.
Empowering women and today’s youth through the creation of inspired works that speak to the culture, identity and love she has experienced in her unique journey, is her intended mission. Sand One’s art is at once both timely and edgy and comes with valuable meaning for women everywhere.
Behind the larger-than-life cartoons SAND ONE paints is the representation of all the independent, educated and strong-minded Los Angeles women she grew up watching; they are her inspiration. “We are in the search of a brighter future by breaking down stereotypes found in these rough streets. My goal is to inspire others to rise up and seek their own dreams, just as I am doing through my art”, she states emphatically when discussing her artistic talent. Sand One and her “Sand Chickz” represent everything women are, as well as wanting to become.
SAND ONE’S signature mob of pink-lipped, buxom female cartoon characters, especially known for their signature enormous eyelashes, and sassy smiles have taken the Angeleno streets and galleries by storm. Her forty-feet tall, attention- getting “Sand Chikz” began to emerge in 2010 throughout L.A. and have since also made their way into other parts of the United States and Latin America.
Where did you grow up and how do you feel that your surroundings have influenced you and your art?
SAND ONE: I grew up in East L.A. The city of Los Angeles is very competitive and the people of this city are very strong. So when it comes to my art it emulates that and it’s influenced my art in a way that I make my characters colorful, big and bold. Plus growing up in Los Angeles I was always able to see murals and graffiti done by all kinds of artists. When I was younger I remember seeing all of this art and I wanted to paint my own stuff but I had no idea how to even do a mural to begin with, so I asked the elders.
How did you get your start with painting murals?
SAND ONE: I started about 4 years ago and my first piece wasn’t a mural it was actually two small newspaper stands on Soto and
Cesar Chavez. On each stand I had painted a girl reading the newspaper. I really took my time on them and did all sorts of little details, like actually painting a little story on each paper and the girls were life size. One girl sort of looked like a chola/pin-up girl with pink fluffy hair and she was wearing high heels. When I had finished I left my MySpace Link under my pieces and before I knew it a bunch of people started messaging me and giving me props for the artwork that I had created. But I couldn’t understand why they were giving me props at first when it was just something that I wanted to do. Before I knew it I couldn’t stop, I just kept drawing and drawing, after that I just kept doing better and bigger cartoons.
Besides painting your murals on walls, what other art mediums have you explored?
Sand: Yes, I’ve discovered that my art can be done on other surfaces besides a wall. For instance I’ve been painting a lot of canvases and doing stuff digitally on the computer. Now I’m able to turn my characters in vector screens and I can manipulate the colors and drop stuff exactly where I want it. I know there are more outlets then these and I will eventually expand on those too.
Being an artist that faces adversities, how do you manage to stay positive?
Sand: I think you personally as an artist can be the biggest challenge. I’ve found that when you’re an artist its like you are against yourself. It takes so much motivation to get up everyday and to get out there to show people your work. It takes a lot out of you to not let personal things get in the way of you and your creativity. You can’t be angry and wake up mad, you have to stay positive and push yourself constantly. Sometimes I do get sad and think I don’t want to paint anymore and then I almost instantly snap out of it and say “No! This is what makes me happy” and I get out there and paint a wall or a canvas and I feel so happy again. Painting is therapeutic to me, it’s helped me grow, it’s my craft, career and life. With my art, I’ve been given the chance to travel and open doors for myself that would have normally been closed. I can’t imagine doing anything else but this.
What inspires your art?
Creating is something I always want to do. I always have a strong need to draw or paint something. But really when it comes down to it, people inspire me. At this stage in my career, sometimes I ask myself “how does inspiration motivate inspiration?” My inspiration comes from people when they tell me that my work inspires them. The fact that people love my art and recognize what I’m doing keeps me motivated. To know that I’m inspiring more girls to become artists is so great and rewarding.
What do you have planned for future projects?
Spring 2014 has been my busiest yet. I just recently signed on to do a series on the Oxygen networks, based on my life as an emerging contemporary artist. Then, along that same vein, my art will be featured on the newest food program to appear on MTV, titled, “House of Food.”
My art will be showcased on April 10th for the ART THEME PARK during the Art Walk in downtown Los Angeles, and then later on at Coachella Music Festival, L.A. Taco and the Broccoli City Festival, celebrating Earth Day. And, I recently returned from Las Vegas where I completed yet another life-sized mural.
FMI on SandOne, go to http://www.sandoner.com.
