We had the good fortune of connecting with S. Bleam ArtByLP and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi S. Bleam, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I think I’ve always been a creative person. Music and Art have been interests of mine since I was 2 years old. I started drawing when I was about 3 or 4, creating my own comic series and drawing some of my favorite cartoon characters. I started selling artwork as early as elementary school, recreating cartoon characters with a heavy Hip-Hop influence. I think it was my 7th grade year I decided I was going to take a creative career path after my art teacher told me “You have a gift that you need to practice with more”. I got my start with Music at 9, writing my own songs to some of my favorite artist’s instrumentals. At the time I stayed down the street from one of Tupac’s old producers. He would let me and my siblings come to his home studio from time to time and play around with the equipment. The feeling I got from being in there just one time made me want to study the Music industry and the process of music making itself. I wrote my first song at 10, but I didn’t start taking music seriously until my Sophomore year of high school. My dad bought me a microphone for my 16th birthday. From that point on recording just had a hold on me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’d say my music is different for the simple fact that I try to incorporate lessons I’ve learned in my life within it. Early on I found myself trying too hard to sound like the artist that I enjoyed listening to. Now I realize that I should look at music making as a form of therapy. I notice my mood changes once I spit a verse that I may have been holding on to for a couple months. It’s sort of like whatever emotion I was feeling at the time of writing is released once I lay it down on a beat. I’m still not where I want to be with my music career, but I know with God’s blessing I’ll be able to reach the heights that I envisioned as a little kid. With Art, I think what sets me apart is that I don’t care about the rules necessarily. I’ve always been the type to go against the norm of what everyone else was doing. I think anything that’s been created can be used to create something new. Almost everything in Art has been done, so what I feel I’m good at is taking something old and giving it a new-school feel. Lessons I’ve learned along the way in my creative career is that not everyone is going to like or even understand your vision and that’s okay. As long as you’re happy with the result is all that matters. I want to give the world a peak into my mind and my world with my Art, but at the same time staying separate from the Art that I create. I don’t want people to feel like they have me figured out just because they’ve heard a song or seen a drawing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I don’t get out much. Most of the time I’m at home creating or thinking about creating. In my college years I spent a lot of time going out, so now most would say I live like an old man. The downtown area of my city is starting to come alive in terms of things to do and events to participate in. I enjoy the First Friday Artwalks and other Art events at my alma-mater, East Carolina University. If they wanted to experience the nightlife we could go to Stilllife or SupDogs, where the Pirate Pride is alive and well every weekend. Greenville hosts a lot of events that showcase underground artist and local businesses that are looking for more exposure or just starting out. It’s cool to see all the talent that the city has that a lot of people may not know about.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shout out to my 8th grade English teacher Mrs. Ruff. She told me early on that I had a way with words after assigning us a poetry writing project. She told me to keep it up and see how far I could get with it. I’d also like to give a shoutout to my high school art teacher Mrs. Barnes, she was one of the reasons I chose to take a career in the Arts seriously. Shoutout to my Dad for even buying me a microphone to experiment with early on, and shoutout to my aunt for letting me record my earlier tracks in the guest room of her house. I don’t want to forget everybody so I’d just like to give a shoutout to everyone who ever encouraged me to continue with my Art, whether it be music or my designing career.

Website: www.artbylp.myportfolio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbylp.std/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailybreaders/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGxXNVvViKxgN8mR91Dr04Q

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