By Manny Miguel
Larger-than-life street artist’s, known as Sand One, art has taken the streets of California, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Mexico and galleries all over Los Angeles, to name a few by storm.
She would not give her real name, because she said that her name is not important, her art is. She went on to say that the name came about because she wanted to create a name that was smooth, yet girly.
Soon after that, she started putting up her work all over the city, on walls, vans, trash bins, clothing and clothing accessories.
She said that her refusal to disappoint her mother, the ability to, in her own words, “be able to survive through her art” is what motivates this young artist.
She added that in the beginning her mother was not thrilled about the idea of her being a street artist. Her mother now supports her because she sees the desire she has to make it as a street artist.
Through her art, she has been able to know whom to talk to accomplish whatever may be on her mind at that time.
When driving or walking by her many murals, one cannot stop but admire the vibrant, voluptuous and full of color women she draws.
She got started about four years ago when she realized that she could be making money by painting on windows, after she had seen a couple of men doing it for a living.
She approached the men and had asked them what they were doing, how they were doing it and what materials they used.
The next day, she went out and got all the materials she needed, went down to Boyle Heights, South Central and East Los Angeles painting windows.
She says, “I did it because I wanted to work in something paint related.” She went on to add that she drew one of her characters and that was the end of doing window paintings.
She started to mark the city streets with her art after she gained exposure with one of her paintings that she did on a newspaper stand on Cesar Chavez and Soto.
Her paintings are not found there anymore, but soon after that, she started to paint everywhere and anywhere she could get her hands on.
Her drawings are big in size because, as she says it, she has the mentality of a short statured guy, one that has to prove that he can do anything a taller guy can do, and do it even better and bigger.
Her motto is, “Go big or don’t even show your face.”
Being a young female that stands at only five feet tall, she feels that she has to do everything bigger and better than the men she shares the streets with.
Now, in her early twenties she aspires to take her art worldwide.
She has worked with Levi’s designing jackets, as well as the National Basketball Association, NBA, in where she chose a number of artists to “do official NBA artworks, with her characters.”
She is currently working with the energy drink company Red Bull, in where she will decorate mini fringes with her art.
She was chosen to represent Los Angeles but her art will be taken all over the country with some of the best known artist from different cities.
Additionally, she desires to break through all the stereotypes associated with young females that grew up the way she has, especially the ones from East Los Angeles. Sand says, “people don’t think highly of East Los Angeles. People think that i am an uneducated, wild child and once they see I’m an educated artist that comes from East Los Angeles and delivers good work, it blows them off.”
Sand added that she hopes that women get inspired by what she draws.
Furthermore, she says that the most meaningful thing she has heard anyone tell her about her art is that women see themselves in her work.
She has noticed that since she has gotten started that there are more women out there making a name for themselves, and thriving for more.
This month Sand will be donating one of her murals to Pico Youth & Family Center in Santa Monica, which is a community center that helps youth children stay off trouble. The city of Santa Monica stopped funding them about four months ago, and hope that this fundraiser will help keep doors open. The event will be held on Friday, from 5pm to 10pm.
Additionally, Sand will hold a gallery that will display her work along with established artist that inspire her.
The theme of her gallery is love, finding love, deception and loothing love, which is “something I am experiencing in my life,” she says.
The artist that she is collaborating with are Vyle One, MQ both from east los angeles, and Indie 184, a female artist from new york, and Becca another female.
The gallery will be free and will be held at GR Gallery on Spring and Fourth in Downtown Los Angeles.