“When I create, I often begin by asking my inner artist — my inner child — what she wants to make that day. Sometimes, I’m surprised and touched by what comes through. At times, it takes the form of childlike musings like this piece; at others, I find myself exploring more technical studies of form or color. That connection to my inner child guides every brushstroke and choice of subject matter, whether I’m creating through the lens of who I am today or trying to access how the world may have looked and felt to me long ago.”

Materials: Acrylic, pencil, and oil pastel on stretched canvas

Dimensions: 16 x 20 inches

About the Artist: SJ Spreng is a multidisciplinary visual artist and creative director based in Los Angeles, working across photography, painting, and mixed media. She's driven by an insatiable thirst for deeper understanding. In pursuit of whatever lies beneath the layers of each of us, her loosened grip on convention leads her toward subject matter that is purely intuitive and spiritual.

Her work moves between sincerity and humor, capturing familiar themes and symbols through a distorted, color-coded lens. She's drawn to the ways imagination, absurdity, and delight can coexist with uncertainty and despair. She perches on the shared wall between the best and worst of our existence.

SJ approaches image-making as a form of secret-telling: a diary of the symbols and images of everyday life and the occult alike. Largely self-taught, SJ considers her lack of formal artistic training an essential part of her practice, allowing curiosity rather than convention to guide her. Across mediums, she makes work that feels emotionally true while leaving room for whimsy and mischief.

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