About Sassa
I have always been interested in rendering human faces and bodies in art, and have used a huge variety of media and approaches to do it. I have an active imagination and dream life, which I think fosters my love for surrealism in art. I try to capture the spirit of people I draw and paint- I often say that I paint the outside of people to show the inside of them.
Currently I am in love with oil paint and am inspired by a constantly growing and varied list of artists. I use a combination of traditional layers and more expressive alla prima techniques to portray my subjects, and often create a mixed media effect with the use of mediums, graphite, and gold and silver leaf.
Biography
Sassa Wilkes (they/he) is a trans artist working to challenge and expand the cultural understanding of gender in Appalachia. They hold a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts as well as a Masters degree in teaching from Marshall University. Sassa has over ten years of teaching experience, including in public education, at Marshall University, and in a private studio. They currently serve as the first visual artist-in-residence at West Edge Factory in Huntington, West Virginia. You can see more of Sassa’s work at www.iamsassa.com.
