Check Out Sierra Thomas’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sierra Thomas. 

Hi Sierra, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My art journey began back in 2013 when I was a full-fledged Studio Arts and Art History graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder, newly flung into the workforce. My first job was very similar to a lot of people’s first job experiences, which I’ll succinctly describe as “shocking.” I started painting pet portraits and landscapes of the natural world around me as a creative outlet and a way to earn some extra cash. Subject matter and caliber have changed since then, but I’m still doing Siehorse Fine Art as a side hustle to nurture my inner artist. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Challenges – big yes! I’ve always kept my art-making firmly in the side hustle sphere. I’ve always had a full-time job, so painting was kept to the weekends. That’s always been challenging because it’s hard to do more work, even if it’s soulful, on top of an already demanding work week. I also learned a ton about running a business they don’t teach you in school. Lots of trial and error: what shipping supplies to buy, how to price out your work, how to negotiate wholesale requests from stores that want to carry your work, etc. Needless to say, I wasn’t profitable until 2020. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My current series celebrates my beautiful home state, Colorado. COLORFUL COLORADO is painted with gouache and outlined in pen. People have told me my style is flat and whimsical, which I love. I want my art to spread joy because it brings me joy. Everyone can appreciate a photo-realistic oil painting, and I personally love collecting other artists’ works that are way different than mine but honing a style that’s distinctly mine came naturally as I explored this intersection between joy and the landscape surrounding me. 

I thought about going into animation while I was in school. I love animated films, especially the traditional stop-motion animation done with individually painted plates. Everything in the 2010s was about “going digital,” and I think I got intimidated by a vision of my future self-hunched over a computer under artificial light all day. The joke’s on me since I do that in my marketing day job anyway, but there’s immense joy in working with traditional materials like paints. The illustrative qualities I admire from animation crossed over into my style organically. 

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
There’s nothing like the first snowfall. I grew up outside of Seattle, so winters were mainly chilly, rainy days. I remember a snow day when I was very young – I must have been about 6. The smell of a Pacific Northwest Snow hits differently. My sister and I got into our onesie snowsuits with our parents and went sledding in our yard. Our yard was something special. It must have been close to 2 acres with giant Doug Firs, fruit trees, blackberry bushes, and raised garden beds. My dog Sally was prancing around the snow, relishing in the squelchy crunch wet snow made under her paws. There’s not really a climactic moment here; I just vividly remember this day down to the point of remembering what the snowflakes tasted like, and it brings a huge wave of nostalgia. 

Pricing:

• Prints from $20
• Original paintings from $100
• Notecard sets of 7 for $20 or 2 sets for $35

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.siehorsefineart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siehorse/