Sergio Blanco-Manresa
Chicago, IL
Sergio Manresa is a high school counselor by day and a digital artist, musician and writer by night. Born and raised in Chicago, Sergio sparked a passion for art in high school when he was introduced to graffiti art. For him, art was a way to express himself and was an outlet that kept him out of trouble.
His passion has only grown since then and when he’s not guiding high school students, he’s creating digital art or writing excerpts focused on relationships, life and everything in between. Get a peek at his work and strike up a dope-ass conversation with Sergio at DEVIATE.
october 15
How would you describe your work?
My art is primarily based on street art (graffiti), with an emphasis on numerous styles such as “wildstyle, blockbuster” and Arabic calligraphy, oftentimes overlapping.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Other graffiti, and specific hip-hop music.
How long does it take for you to do a piece from start to finish? This depends on how clear I see an image in my head. Sometimes I follow through with it, other times I completely scrap it. My art is typically made on my iPad, using Procreate, so there are usually no other materials.
Where can we find your work? Examples of galleries, stores, and events you have been involved in. All samples of my work are not posted online, but I am located on Instagram under the handle @_am.687
Is this your full-time job? If so, where do you work? I work in education as a high school counselor (no art studio) and consult on the side.
What are your future goals for your pieces? Future goals always include having fun and seeking new ways to engage with my community.
What is your background? I was born and raised in Chicago and stumbled upon Graffiti through an acquaintance (TAPSTAR) in my sophomore year of high school. This avenue was an outlet that helped me shift from my troubling ways. The rest is history.
What do you want us to know about your art, your design, or anything at all?
I prefer to have my work speak for itself in terms of deeper meaning. The real art, if done right, happens between the viewer and the work. Because of that it can mean a million different things to a million different people - I don’t like to interfere with that.
What are you most excited about for DEVIATE? I am excited to meet like-minded artists, hear their stories, and expand my mindset through the art of others. People should come to DEVIATE if they enjoy art, meeting new people and supporting their community. People should visit my booth if they want to engage in some dope-ass conversation (art or otherwise!).