Spotlight Artist Sam Gorrie
Want to see the world and do what you love? Of course you do! Sam tells us how she does it in this Artist Spotlight. Take it away Sam...
I feel like I was destined to be a caricaturist. Or at least, I’ve always sort of been one. When people ask me how long I’ve been drawing caricatures I never really know how to answer it but typically say “Well, I’ve been drawing caricatures professionally for about 15 years but first started drawing them about 30 years ago, however I’ve been making fun of people my whole life.” *cue laughter* The obsession with capturing likeness started in elementary school, when I decided not to draw animals because my new best friend was better at them and I would need to find something else I could be better at. So she had her turf and I had mine-faces and cartoons. I drew comics about us (mostly rip off’s of Calvin and Hobbes) and it was like a lightbulb moment when I finally recognized the concept of likeness. From there I devoted a lifetime to figuring it out. I drew all my friends and teachers, and Molded every art assignment I could in Art school to involve caricature, and since graduation from OCAD, when I got headhunted at my grad show by an event planner in 2006 - and despite my professors who pleaded with me to go to Grad school- I’ve been living the caricature artist dream ever since.
I live to see the world and draw in as many countries as I can. I link up with other artists and booth owners and immerse myself in the culture, the people, and the other artists to observe, learn from and share what I’ve learned with. I definitely want to be known as someone who will jump at any opportunity to venture abroad, maybe it will bring more opportunities my way! Whether it's to draw at an international trade show in London, a wild Corporate Holiday Party in the distillery of Toronto, a week long Rodeo in northern Nevada, living for a few months in Korea, drawing tourists at a retail location Or teaching caricature to the elementary/secondary and high schools on Jeju Island
You can follow Me on facebook at facebook.com/sam.artypants, instagram @sam_artypants and also @sam_artypants_fit. I should mention my other life, because its become my secondary mission to help people live healthier lives. I gained a LOT of weight after I graduated and needed to learn how to prioritize my health. When I found a way that worked for my crazy erratic lifestyle I had to share about it because I knew a lot of other artists with the same struggles. So Im also a health and fitness coach and like to spread the importance for creative people to stay healthy and fit in what is often a sedentary lifestyle. Healthy Artists are Happy, thriving, creative artists.. You can’t work an art career with the right energy if you’re sick, injured and unmotivated. A little fitness and making time to meal prep healthy foods worked into your schedule makes a HUGE difference.
