We had the good fortune of connecting with Sawyer Baird and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sawyer, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I have a theory… one I expressed in many interviews around this question. ‘The thing about the things you love… even when you want to give up on them they don’t give up on you.’ I don’t think we really have control over this, though we might think we do. I believe things come to a true end when they are supposed to. Trust your gut and follow your heart. I know we are supposed to be logical but when it comes to the things we are passionate about there’s no room to be logical in my opinion. Follow your heart, you only have one life and if you feel a pull in your heart to not give up, then don’t… and if it is meant to be it’s going to continue to love you back.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As an artist I believe that our greatest strength is that nobody can be you or do what you do. We are each gifted with such talents that are uniquely ours. With that I always follow my creative headspace and create from a place that I know is my vision in all projects. I think getting to where I am right now I have had to have a lot of grace for myself and know that things are ever changing and we are ever evolving. Learning to trust the process – yes, easier said than done, but definitely something so necessary. It has definitely not been an easy ride but putting myself in a headspace of learning from every ‘mistake’ instead of beating myself up over every ‘mistake’. This is the way I have overcome challenges day in and day out. Everything that happens is happening to make up better. Being at the bottom just means learning to come back up and that challenge within yourself to come back up allows you to be much better than you were before. Some of the lessons I have learned about myself is that our journey is uniquely ours. Those moments of, I just can’t do this anymore… is just a lesson for yourself to overcome. Again, much of this is easier said than done but we have to have grace for ourselves. My journey or story if you will is one where I grew up in a small town, was told that my dreams were absolutely crazy time and time again, that I should just get a four degree that gave me a steady paycheck, a 9-5, and benefits… and while that really does sound nice from time to time it isn’t who I am and I would be limiting myself and my abilities in that role. Bet on yourself – if you don’t then why should anybody else?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well I can dig into Atlanta and New York City…. For Atlanta: The High Museum, Piedmont Park / The Beltline, Ponce City Market, Victory Sandwich Bar, Superica, Bar Mercado, Beetlecat, Little Spirit, Golden Eagle, Marcel… For New York City / Brooklyn: Little Branch, Carbone, The Riddler, The Wren, Prince Street Pizza, Uncle Boons, Last Light, Wayla, Egg Shop, Mr. Taka Ramen, Rosie’s, Minetta Tavern, Ippudo, Izakaya MEW, The MET, MoMA, The High Line, Brooklyn Bridge Park, June Wine Bar, Congress Bar, Saint Julivert, French Louie, Cafe Mogador, Fresh Kills Bar, Hotel Delmano, Westlight… I could go on and on but I will stop there!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s many people that I could shoutout here – the people who believed in me who pushed me to make them proud and the people who didn’t that pushed me to prove them wrong… funny how that works out isn’t it? But the shoutout that deserves true recognition is the women who have came before me and made waves in the creative industry… Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Annie Leibovitz, Corita Kent, Georgia O’Keeffe, Florence Knoll, Nora Ephron, J. K. Rowling, Tina Fey, Martha Stewart, Tory Burch… and so so many more. These women have allowed me to thrive in the world I am currently in by breaking glass ceilings for me to stand where I do today and for that I have so much gratitude.

Website: www.sawyerbaird.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sawyerbaird
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sawyer-baird-20a449103/

Image Credits:
Me, Sawyer Baird x