Samuel Perry shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Samuel , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
Right now, I’m chasing opportunity. I’m embracing any chance to show, to experiment, to reach new audiences. Each of my series builds upon the last. I feel that there’s always another level I can reach. If I had to stop, I’d definitely feel the absence of purpose. There’s something about forward momentum which fuels my process as well. To maintain it keeps me sharp and alive as an artist.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a self-taught abstract artist based in San Diego with global collectors. My series often explore the tension between control and chaos. I use a variety of medium such as pigment sticks, graphite, and fragments of book pages layered on canvas. What sets me apart and makes my work interesting is the texture and drama I create in my work with raw canvas and sharp marks that builds into something that feels like memory or language trying to take shape. I’m constantly drawn to materials and surfaces that push back, as I like to test what things can do beyond their usual limits. Right now, I’m developing a new collection that continues this idea of boundaries between mediums, thought, and feeling.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who to be, I was a sweet kid who believed everyone meant well and that goodness was the default. I thought connection came easily and that honesty was enough. Over time, life made me more realistic, and though kindness isn’t always returned I remind myself that people carry their own struggles. However, I appreciate that I never lost that softness completely. My favorite quote is, “Though the world can be cruel, I will choose not to be.” I find this paradox inspires my work and that it is my responsibility to continue to create beauty, honesty, and connection beneath all this noise.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Though, I don’t love the word suffering, the hard seasons in my life taught me something success never could. They taught me to listen to myself. For too long of a time I measured my worth by how others saw me and what they thought of my work, my choices, my path. But struggle forced me to turn inward, to hear my own voice more clearly. It taught me that validation is fleeting, but self-trust is something you can build your whole life around. My process and art practice grew from that place without needing permission.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I’m destroyed we just lost Jane Goodall. She had such a strength of character more than anything else. Her legendary work has been grounded in empathy, patience, and deep listening which are qualities that don’t always get celebrated in a world that values speed and control. She always led with compassion instead of authority, curiosity instead of ego. I love that her strength came from observation and connection, not domination. That kind of quiet conviction of staying true to your purpose while remaining gentle is something I deeply connect with, respect and carry into my own work.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Definitely, I think I could. It’s something I’ve had to learned to this day. I feel every time I paint I’m creating without waiting for someone to validate it. I think more artists need to do that. When I first started making art, I wanted people to like me, to like it and to see it. But over time I realized that the real satisfaction comes from showing up fully for myself, even when no one’s watching. Praise fades, but the process is a quiet act of making something for myself which stays. Giving your best isn’t about being seen, it’s about knowing you showed up for yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.samuelperryart.com
- Instagram: @samuelperryart
