Check Out Evan Siegel’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Siegel.

Hi Evan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a child, I drew maps in the sand. Secluded under a canopy of nearby trees, I would build villages in the dirt from pieces of slate and twigs. There were youthful efforts at painting and drawing, though they were infrequent. Going away to college exploded in my mind. In Chicago, there was the Art Institute. In New York there was; well, there was New York itself. I was encouraged to study art formally, and in my early 20s, I enrolled at Hunter College in Manhattan.

My painting professor hired me as an apprentice. I was studying art and I was painting, yet I did not know what kind of artist I would be.

One afternoon, I was walking home from work along Canal Street in Lower Manhattan. My mentor called Canal Street the “Street of Dreams”. Passing innumerable hardware and dry goods stores, amidst the cacophony of street vendors; weaving my way through countless pedestrians – I had a revelation.

My art would not be one thing, it would not be painting or sculpture, or architecture. My palette would be the world.

This was both a blessing and a burden.

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?
People called me an artist. I seemed to behave like one. And yet I was not sure. One thing though; I loved the vocation. I loved looking at art and I loved the sensuality of making it. This kept me going and it drove me onward.

My brain was on fire. In my younger years I did not compete with others nor did I compete with myself in a way that was self-destructive. There was not much money, none really. Yet everyone I knew was that way, so it was OK.

There was crushing loneliness. Honestly, this may not have been wholly attributable to my life as a young artist.

This state of being was perhaps due simply to who I was as a person; and to who I am now as a person. As I grew older there were struggles not uncommon for people who engage with art in a life-immersive way. Money, and the lack thereof. A good relationship was defeated by a lack of focus and care because my attentions were too often directed to working. Now I am wiser, and my priorities have shifted. There is now a modicum of contentment.

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?
Over many years of creating art, the aforementioned ‘revelation’ on Canal Street has been realized. For many years I painted. The painting became a sculpture. I moved to a new city – Denver. I resumed my formal learning in college to study architecture. I became a licensed architect. This is a substantial achievement and is recognized and understood by the world as such.

When studying architecture, one of my professors made the comment; Having a “style” was no longer important, it was having a particular “attitude” that mattered.

There is great joy in many of the paintings I have created over the years. There is great joy in several sculptures I have made, though I do not see myself as a sculptor. There is great joy related to the small business I began in 2012 called Art to Go.

In this business, I place my drawings of places on coffee mugs. These mugs are then sold in bulk to businesses, which then sell them to the public. I love the places I draw. I love the businesses that sell the mugs to the public. I am thrilled when the mugs are bought and appreciated by someone. There is some monetary profit, though I believe there could be more.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Fundamentally I am an optimistic person. Certainly, I ruminate too much on concepts and sentiments that are not helpful and do not engender contentment. Yet fundamentally I love my body and I love the world. Every morning I pray.

Pricing:

• Coffee mugs can be purchased for $12 each.
• Drawings, Paintings, and Sculpture range from the low hundreds to the upper thousands.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.evansiegel.com
• Twitter: @Evansiegel22

Image Credits
Marcia Ward, Imagemaker, and Steve MacGregor