10/30/2018 1 Comment Noah SchwartzNoah Alexander Falcon Schwartz is a 22 year old man from Maplewood, New Jersey. His first introduction to this world was when he came flying and kicking out of his mother’s womb, and he has been on the move ever since. By the age of 12, Noah was already working his first job as a babysitter and a lawnmower in order to bring in some income to fund his constant need for bike parts and new shoes. Since he was always on the move, running around and riding his bike, he tore through shoes like no other. Throughout the years, Noah found himself working in retail, at a snack bar at a pool, as a pizza delivery boy, and as an artist. His first introduction into the world of creating things was at the age of 17 when he met a man who worked as a welder and created sculptures. He learned a lot from him and even helped to create works of art. Inspired to create something of his own, Noah designed his own stickers and patches with the inspirational message “go for it” abbreviated as “GFI” inscribed on it and began selling them. I purchased one myself before even talking to him and I can’t wait to sew it onto my jean jacket. While discussing his childhood, I asked Noah about a time he remembered getting in trouble as a kid which brought up a fun story that he shared with me. At a point in time, Noah was out shopping with his Dad and wanted to buy these nice, expensive shoes. After purchasing them, his dad confronted him, accusing him of selling pot, because where else would the money have come from. After fessing up to his father’s accusations though, the only thing his dad asked him to do was to stop and out of respect for his parents, Noah did. I feel that story really shows Noah’s true character; a kindhearted, respectful, gentleman. After graduating high school, Noah began to feel trapped in the town where he grew up, and was itching for a new adventure. He had a grandmother who resided in Colorado, and at the age of 19 he packed up his things into his car and went on an adventure to go live with her. With a job lined up and a place to stay, he was set to start a new chapter of his life. Upon arrival to his grandmother’s house at 5 o’clock in the morning on a nice April morning, he found himself brought to literal tears by the pure beauty of what was around him. Noah expressed to me that this was one of the few times he ever remembers crying. Once he was settled in, he asked his grandma what she spends her days doing to which she responded “art and old people yoga.” Noah, who is always down for everything, responded “Tight! Let’s get to it!”, and that was his first introduction to the world of painting. Although his mother was an artist, he never felt motivated to create by her. It took him moving across the country and adapting to his grandmother’s schedule to finally pick up a paintbrush, and once he did, he never put it down again. According to Noah, he had an original style right away, a very childish style, but people were drawn to it! He joined an artist group through Left Hand Brewing where he was able to collaborate with other artists as well as get his paintings hung up in different breweries around town where people would be able to purchase them. After selling a few art pieces here and there, including the first painting he ever did, Noah was in it for the long haul. A little further down the line, Noah found himself intrigued by a woman he saw painting at a concert he was attending. Being the confident man he is, he went over and introduced himself to her and told her what she was doing was “tight”, and soon after that she became his mentor. She had gone to school for art and was a painter herself. She offered Noah some insight into the art world, and he frequently painted in her studio where he was able to ask her all of the questions he wanted in order to get better at his own art. He continued to make other artist friends as well, who all helped teach him different techniques and ideas for creating better paintings. A lot of times it was hard to tell exactly what Noah was painting, so the tips and tricks he learned from his friends were helpful in refining his skill so he could express himself clearly in his canvases. When Noah first began painting, his theme was animals doing human things. He isn’t sure where that idea came from though, but he has been creating those kinds of paintings since the beginning. His artistic mentor pushed him to find the meaning in his work and to figure out what message he wished to send to his audience. “The most important thing is that people talk about it,” she told him. This pushed Noah to create his series of paintings depicting human and animal interactions. This series has over 40 difference creations that all started with his first one which displays a sea turtle cutting a human out of some sea trash. It is his goal to show the world the sort of impact we humans have on the world around us. About four months ago, Noah found himself packing up his car again, ready for a new adventure. He moved out to San Diego where he is now living out of his car, creating more art, and making a life for himself. On day one, he remembers getting to the beach and setting up a work station to begin painting while asking people for donations to support local art. Since then, his art has payed for all of his food and gas. He has sold over 45 paintings here so far, and his art is no longer just a hobby but a profession. He has been hired to be the live artist at various venues and is always trying to get involved anywhere he can. Noah is a very calm and collected young man who is inspired by everyone he comes into contact with. He paints because it helps him foster those connections with the people and the world around him. He is very driven by the idea of learning more things, and his favorite thing about life is living. With his art, and his story, it is Noah’s hope that he can show people that they shouldn’t be scared to do what they love. Although he never attended college, he hopes to go back to school when he is older to become an architect and an art therapist, and considers what he is doing right now to be “life school.” When I asked him what his biggest fear was, he told me he didn’t have any fears and proceeded to show me a tattoo he has that says “scare your fears.” After rephrasing my question a little bit and talking some more though, he expressed to me that he is afraid of not having his name remembered. Noah is a creator and is destined for great things. He has inspired me to keep creating and I certainly will remember his name. If you ever have the chance to meet him, I am sure you won’t forget him either.
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