Resourceful artist finds success through painting on thrifted fabrics

PEORIA (25News Now)—An up-and-coming southern Illinois artist has made a name for herself on social media and in galleries. Sydney Swisher has now made her way to the Peoria Art Guild for her first solo exhibit, Fabricate.

Swisher is a self-taught artist who specializes in oil painting on thrifted fabrics. Her work takes viewers through portals of the fabric, bringing to life the memories each fabric may have held or resembles.

“I started with the portals, and I started with trying to cut out a portal that feels like you’re walking through the fabric,” said Swisher. “I like that with thrifted fabric you don’t know where it’s coming from. You don’t know the plans somebody had for this, to be made into curtains or clothing. It’s nice to just give it a second life instead of just going into a dump somewhere.”

However, she came to paint on thrifted fabrics to be resourceful.

“It really came from me starting to learn, through trial and error, how to wrap my own canvases. We don’t really have any stores in my area where I can just buy canvas,” said Swisher.

Swisher’s work takes us through her family memories while connecting with her audience of over 400,000 followers across her social media platforms on Instagram and TikTok.

“A lot of these images I made with the use of A.I., so a lot of this explores memory, it explores our little pieces of memory, places that feel nostalgic but might feel a little bit off,” said Swisher.

Swisher, who always had an interest in art growing up, never expected the quick success she would gain from one of her hobbies.

“I never would have thought that this would happen, and so many people would have felt a connection with it. Honestly, it’s amazing to see people who have a connection with the pieces and maybe feel like the pieces resonate with them, with their own memories,” said Swisher.

Swisher’s Fabricate can be seen at the Peoria Art Guild downtown until March 30.

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