Artist Spotlight: Sam Freekadelah
Submitted by: The DaLyfe Crew - December 14 2009
At DaLyfe we are very much into urban art, and when it comes to graffiti, we strongly believe that there is more than one way to enjoy it's artform. So when we came across urban Artist and Photographer, Sam Freekadelah, we were very eager to find out more about her and her work. As you will see, she is an amazing artist! ...Here's what Sam herself had to say about her art and the didgi widgi studio.
"The purpose of all Didgi Widgi art is to capture neglected beauty in its raw urban surroundings where it is least expected and to tell a story of these magnificent structures and objects that would otherwise be long forgotten."
DaLyfe: For those who don't know you, can you tell people a little about yourself?
Sam: I am an urban photographer who displays work on limited edition canvass. The subjects are transformations of everyday objects that can be seen in the city, into dramatic, desirable works of art using bold, bright colours to give depth and character.DaLyfe: At what time in your life did you first realize that you wanted to pursue art?
Sam: From early teens I have always taken great pleasure in being creative, ranging from graphic design to sculpting in metal, culminating in photography.DaLyfe: Have you always been into urban art?
Sam: I never knew what my niche would be within the art market and it became a natural progression from metal sculpting to abstract art and then onto urban photography which is where I now sit comfortably.DaLyfe: What's life like for an urban artist in the UK?
Sam: Urban art has become very much focused on the graffiti/street art side of things, thanks to artists like Banksy. My artwork sits under the umbrella of Urban art and is a different way of viewing decaying urban life in cities.DaLyfe: How does the urban culture in the UK differ from what you may know of urban culture in the USA?
Sam: Here in the UK, Banksy is leading the way with graffiti/street art so it's more prominent in the UK as an art that you can buy or exhibit. America usually leads the way but with the media attention Banksy has received, it seems the UK is a force to be reckoned with in regards to urban art/culture.
Icy Grape
DaLyfe: As an urban artist, where do you personally get your inspiration from?
Sam: I was brought up surrounded by old mills which once were the hub of the UK, I grew up with people who told me stories of working in these magnificent buildings, so before they get turned into flats or offices I try and find a way of creating something new out of something that has now lost its lustre. With regards to people, Anthony Caro inspires me with his contemporary abstract metal sculptures because of his rawness and irregularity and Peter Brook for his depiction of a vanishing world and incorporation of humour. Also, Philip Stark because he dares to be different and break the mould.DaLyfe: What form do you enjoy creating the most (abstract, black & white, graffiti, etc.)? Why?
Sam: I most enjoy taking abstract photographs, the reason being is that most of the photographs are of everyday objects/buildings or part of buildings that people just walk past or have forgotten about and I see a picture in them and bring them back to life. I often get asked what a particular photograph is and most people are surprised by the answer."Have you got a Didgi Widgi?"
DaLyfe: How did you get your start in graffiti art? Has "the canvas" always been your canvas for working with graffiti?
Sam: I am not a graffiti artist par sa, I photograph abstractions of graffiti and evolve that photograph into an image of my own by transforming with bold colours and modern ideas.DaLyfe: What do you feel sets your artwork apart from other urban artists?
Sam: I use more bold and striking colours which dare people to be adventurous trying to make a statement by mixing colours and forms as opposed to other artists who use the image itself to make the statement. The creativity lies not only in the image but in the colours used to create that image.DaLyfe: What is the Didgi Widgi Gallery? And how did it come about?
Sam: The Didgi Widgi gallery is a online gallery used to sell my work. It came from my desire to travel the world and take and sell images that I love and it also forms a cheeky slogan that people rarely forget "Have you got a Didgi Widgi?"
Stolen Sunday
DaLyfe: "Stolen Sunday" is a very interesting piece, could you tell us a little about what inspired that particular piece?
Sam: The original image "Stolen Sunday" was inspired mainly by the vast array of shapes. I enjoy macro photography but it is often difficult to take a piece as striking as this. The black and white colour was added to highlight the form in the photograph but so as not to distract from the original image.DaLyfe: "Going Underground," and "Icy Grape" are a couple of our favourites – we could easily see either one of them in our living space sitting above our sofa! Do you have a favorite piece? If so, which one and why?
Sam: As it happens my favorite changes weekly and it usually tends to be the newer images. Currently my favorite is "Out of Sight Out of Mind". I love the appearance of texture in this image and as you may be able to tell from looking through my website, red, black and white are my favorite combination of colours.DaLyfe: Many artists have a very clear vision of how/where they think their art should be displayed – is this true of you? If so, how/where do you envision your art at it's best?
Sam: I think it's a personal choice of where art should be displayed, everyone has their own reasons for buying art and I have my own reasons for taking particular images. I never take a photograph or create a canvas with an end result in mind regarding where it should end up. ...Due to the rawness of my artwork, I think it looks best in raw surroundings such as on bare stone walls in a converted mill or in a modern building to show comparison between new and old/edgy.
Going Underground
DaLyfe: It would be easy to envision a graffiti version of "DaLyfe" painted on a large canvas sitting above our work station – for others who may also be interested, do you do custom pieces if requested?
Sam: Commissions are available at didgi widgi and any of the canvas's seen on the website can be altered by colour and dimensions to fit with your decoration.DaLyfe: What is the average cost of one of your pieces?
Sam: £120.00 is the average price of a canvas on didgiwidgi ($195. US)DaLyfe: Where can we find/purchase your artwork?
Sam: My artwork is only available from www.didgiwidgi.co.uk, we are looking into supplying galleries with some exclusive art in the new year.
Sam Freekadelah
DaLyfe: How can people contact you?
Sam: Website: didgiwidgi.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/didgi.widgi Twitter: twitter.com/didgiwidgi Twitter: myspace.com/didgiwidgi"It's not a Didgi, it's not a Widgi, it's ART!"
DaLyfe: And lastly, we at DaLyfe want to be a part of promoting anyone who deserve some promotion, but who may not otherwise be getting it – Are there any artists or designers that you feel deserve some recognition and a shout–out?
Sam: Sick Boy is a street artist to watch. TheSickBoy.com
