ABOUT
Sunshine Sam
"I want my paintings to pull a viewer in, with light and colors that initially look realistic, but that are just a little too enticing and vibrant, evoking the feeling that what you're seeing is remarkably more beautiful than reality.
Some of my paintings I would call realistic impressionism, but my style at this point is still evolving as I grow and change.
It was only as of February 2022 that I fully committed to painting and do it full-time, while the ten years before that I was mainly tattooing.
I'm incredibly grateful to all the mentors I met throughout my education in academic settings, and then my decade in the tattoo world: artists, tattoo clients, tattoo artists, business owners, and friends.
My life has been so richly touched and enhanced by all of you and I dedicate the rest of my life to giving back in a way that- hopefully -enriches your life even just for a moment.
My main painting focus is a subject constantly changing, with notebooks and idea folders full to the brim, I'm excited to turn the everyday into extraordinary moments with paint and canvas.
It's easy for me to become obsessed with the smallest detail or point of light in an image, and I love being able to share my wonder of the beautiful world we live in with all of you."
BIO
Born in 1989 and raised in several parts of Canada, Sam drew and painted intensely from a young age.
Winning awards and receiving recognition throughout high school, she then went on to get her Bachelor's of Fine Art Degree from the University of Lethbridge.
After school, life threw a curve ball and introduced her to the complex and growing world of Tattooing.
Becoming a Tattoo Artist opened up a whole new art medium she explored, while travelling the world and winning awards for her tattoos and paintings. She has completed thousands of tattoos in a variety of styles over the years, a collection of some of her favorite tattoos can be found in this gallery.
While tattooing, she continued to work on painting and produced hundreds of paintings of all sizes and types, entering shows, hanging exhibits, and doing private commissions.
Around 2017 at the birth of her first child, her time was diverted towards motherhood, and tattooing slowly faded out of the picture and her artistic focus went back towards painting.
One year later, her second child was born, and she is now fully concentrating on painting when she isn't sharing the wonders of the world with her two kids.
Sam's main painting focus is an assortment of food and delicious things, capturing that feeling you have when you're craving that certain something, or creating pictures that immediately cause your mouth to water.
Common subjects she also paints include colorful realism of glowing objects, a huge collection of skull paintings, portraits expressing an intense feeling or mood, pet and animal portrait commissions, and the occasional landscape. Sam's paintings can be found in private collections around the globe.
Art Education
2007-2010 Bachelor of fine arts, University of Lethbridge
2010-2012 Business administration diploma Lethbridge College
2012-2013 Tattoo apprenticeship with Tony Yar
2015 Advanced Acrylic Painting Workshop
2016 Acrylic painting Landscapes Workshop
Art Exhibitions and Awards
2011 Sunridge mall emerging Artist showcase
2012 Sunridge mall Art Award for emerging artists
2016 RAW Artists annual group exhibition
2013-2016 Tattoo interviews and featured in a variety of tattoo magazines for tattoo work and paintings
2016 Kdays Edmonton Live Artist
2013-2017 Numerous Tattoo awards from conventions including best in show trophies, various 1st and 2nd place for best color and realism and others from shows in Canada and the USA
2018 Edmonton Whyte ave Art Walk
2018 Remedy cafe artist showcase exhibition
2022-present Element Chiropractor Gallery wall in Edmonton, AB
2024-Runner-up in Blue Space Gallery's Open Themed Exhibition
“At the deepest level, the creative process and the healing process arise from a single source. When you are an artist, you are a healer; a wordless trust of the same mystery is the foundation of your work and its integrity.” ~ Rachel Naomi Remen, MD