Artist Interview: Sam Skrimpz
Today we are chatting with Sam, a non-binary (them/they) artist from New Orleans, specializing in quality hand painted murals and large scale paintings, produced in the style of the artist. We talk about the inspirations, boundaries, growth mindset, and trusting yourself to go after your dreams.
Sam, please tell our audience why Skrimpz?
One of my favorite fictional characters is Bubba from Forrest Gump. Him and Forrest wanted to start a shrimping business after they left the war in Vietnam. Bubba passed away in the war, and Forrest started the company, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, to honor him and help his family. So, my moniker Friedskrimpz is for Bubba, as well my own love for fried shrimp poboys.
When was your first interest in art was born?
Oh man as far as I can remember. The first drawing I remember was after watching a cartoon about dragons and I just pumped out several drawings of dragons. Before that memory, my mom told me I was scribbling and drawing on walls with pens I found around the house, like I inherently knew what they did. So I guess at some point my mom got smart and got me paper and markers to make dragons and save her walls.
Has having dyslexia affected certain ways of processing art?
Honestly, I’ve just always had it and not sure of what my perspective or processing would be otherwise. I can say that I have ADD as a symptom of late diagnosed dyslexia, and work on several paintings and projects at once, with a constant running list of ideas for new ones. I can say that I have developed many coping mechanisms, like being very organized at execution and break down my paintings in completed layers, and if things don’t go as I planned, it’ll take me months to finish. Or maybe that’s just perfectionism.
And as far as processing other people’s art... I think that comes from a very different part of my brain. I either feel very inspired in museums or incredibly emotional, there is no in between. If I connect with something, it’s a visual cue I can relate to in my in my current memory or maybe of a life I’ve lived before.
Tell us about something you take pride in.
Having a growth mindset when it comes to art. I feel like I’ll always be seeking, taking classes for fun, teaching, traveling to find things that might be overlooked. And it feels so fulfilling to finally be in this brain space. Also opening my LLC for my muraling business during quarantine.
We are strong believers that the more people discuss failure, the less significant the possibility of it becomes. Often times simple roadblocks are mislabeled as failure too! In our society, we are so terrified of possibility of something not working out, that it halts all our efforts to begin with. We ask all of our interviewees if they can share a time where something (a project or opportunity) did not work out and how did you move forward?
Ah I love this question. A couple months ago I had a business transaction that didn’t work out. I keep a contract to set boundaries between my clients and I, and these folks were just super adamant about adding things to my contract, and were just pushing on those set boundaries at every step of the muraling process. This was my first time in working with a difficult client, and I ultimately used my set boundaries and intuition to end that business relationship because it was becoming more work than it was worth. It had me in my feelings for a little bit because I was surprised at their behavior, but it was the best lesson in using my contract as a guide and protection against people not acting right. So I guess I moved forward in being secure and unmoving on my hard boundaries after they were tested.
Any events, projects, or exhibits you'd like to share with the audience? Has any of them cancelled due to COVID?
I am very excited that I have teaching opportunity coming up with a local youth arts organization coming up in January (@yaya_inc) where I’ll be walking them through the muraling process to eventually complete one with the kids! I love working out with children, so I’m keeping my eyes peeled for more opportunities with schools and after school programs.
I am also doing a billboard for the Oldest Profession podcast to honor a local sexworker here In New Orleans during the Storyville time period, Lulu White, super pumped on that.
I have also connected with a green infrastructure nonprofit in New Orleans and will be painting their installments of bike coverings and rain barrels.
And I just got on the arts activation committee for the Lafitte Greenway, a bike path initiative for New Orleans to help them plan future murals. So a lot great art from other local artists as well to come from that!
Find Sam:
Friedskrimpz.com for portfolio and contacting me about mural work
@friedskirmpz on ig, for art, paintings, getting to know me as person and my antics and adventures
@friedskrimpz on tiktok, working on posting more process videos and art here!
