Hey guys, thanks for checking out my story. 

My calling as a portrait artist began at just THREE years old. My preferred working surfaces at the time were my bubblegum pink bedroom walls and, with the stubborn personality of a passionate creative, I cared very little about who didn’t like that. Not everyone is going to like your art, am I right? (Sorry, Mom) 

Already identifying with depictions of strong opinionated female leads, I was obsessed with the character Angelica from Rugrats. Sure, she was mean. But she was BOLD. And I liked that!  I gathered my crayons and markers one day (permanent markers of course) and drew this huge monstrous depiction of her. Complete with the sneaky eyes and devious grin of her character. It was epic.

For the first time, my mom LOVED my wall art… even despite it being on the wall.  She insisted I captured the true personality of Angelica and that impressed her. This response was very unexpected and imprinted a lesson on my young mind that has shaped my journey ever since; Art has the power to influence and transform people. If I could make my mom HAPPY that I drew on the walls again, I could do anything with art. 

Today, that lesson plays a core part of why I create. My business, SylviaPaints, strives to bring the world healing through an elevated experience of human centered art. I specialize in custom portraiture which can be created in traditional or digital mediums and in the styles of realism or caricature. 

My current aim is be completely dependent on art income by the age of 35 but it took awhile to finally accept this as my destined path. After seeing the influence my artwork had on my mother that fated day, I overindulged myself in creating things. My elementary art teacher took notice of my passions and encouraged me to pursue an arts school where my talents could be better challenged and developed. Following that advice I auditioned and was accepted to Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts in Akron, OH. I attended Miller South from 4th grade to 8th grade and, to date, it has been the most influential factor in my art journey. It was there that my art teachers, Mrs. Yingling and Mrs. Hogarth, gave me the best advice and guidance that I still use today while creating.

After graduating from Miller South in 2007 I enrolled at Firestone High School for their performing arts program. While I had the comfort of having classes with several classmates who went to Miller South, it just wasn’t the same. I missed creating within the family atmosphere that I had become accustomed to during middle school. After just two grading periods, I transferred to Buchtel High School for two years and then Garfield High School where I graduated from in 2011.

While I maintained interest in art throughout high school I struggled to produce much. Several teachers encouraged me to apply to art school for higher education but at the time I figured it was a waste of my time since I felt a degree was not necessary to be an artist. I instead attended the University of Akron. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology.

By the end of my college career I realized I wasn’t willing to take the financial risk of graduate school and so after graduating in 2016 I explored various job industries with no sense of fulfillment. After working various jobs and desperately wanting a sense if stability I finally accepted that I wasn’t happy at these places most of all because it just wasn't what I wanted to be doing. This epiphany was strongly influenced by my partner of these 4 years, Ellis Floyd, who is a very talented and ambitious photographer & videographer. Seeing someone make art such a priority in their life was strong push to do the same with my own life.

Gradually over this period I continued to create more artwork consistently, including more commissioned work, and build my vision. In November 2019 I began exploring digital art. The convenience, accessibility and demand for digital art was a great inspiration and tool for my productivity with all art forms. In May 2020, in the middle of a pandemic quarantine, I finally took the leap and OFFICIALLY made SylviaPaints a trademarked Sole Proprietorship.

Still connecting with that spirit of bold women like Angelica, which I now choose to identify as the Divine Feminine, my work often celebrates female subjects. My work also emphasizes a focus on people of color who always choose to be bold in our cultural expressions despite the several forms of oppression that work to silence us. 

Creating bold artworks depicting these groups of people strengthens my internal sense of unity with them and often helps combat insecurities of feeling out of place in this world. As a “Bi-Racial” Black Artist I have often struggled with racial identity and creating Black Art helps with my healing through that journey.

As of May 1st, 2021 I officially opened SylviaPaints Art Studio&Gallery with my life partner Ellis Floyd. The gallery serves as a working studio for the both of us, a space to display art and a creative space for community events and education.

I hope my art, as well as my gallery space, provides a therapeutic response for my audience and encourages viewers to be present in the moment in order to nurture their genuine connections to people.

This message isn’t just vital for women and people of color, but for ALL humans during this divisive  time in history. 

Sincerely, 

Forever an Angelica fan, 

Sylvia Sykes