OUR STORY

Hi, I’m Sam Skrimpz, the person behind FriedSkrimpz Studio. I am a trans masculine (he,they), Cajun Louisiana native, now living and working in Richmond VA. Art is my business because it brings me joy to connect others through art.

Why FriedSkrimpz?

Have y’all ever seen or read Forrest Gump? My favorite fictional character is Bubba. In the movie, he and Forrest become friends while in bootcamp, and decide after their service that they would open a shrimping company together. During their friendship montage, Bubba lists all the different ways you can cook shrimps (he pronounces it “skrimps” as do a lot of southern folks do)….skrimp gumbo….skrimp n grits…. skrimp jambalaya….fried skrimps.

Bubba didn’t return from the war and Forrest opened their shrimping company and called it Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. This is now an actual southern chain of shrimp restaurants.

Fried skrimp poboys are also my favorite food.

The idea is to take up space

Art was alway my outlet growing up. I filled up sketchbooks and always had personal projects I was working on. After a few unaligned jobs and an adventure in Guatemala, I decided it was time to pursue it as a career. I started so small, painting on tiny 3x3 inch canvases, and driftwood to try to vend on the street in New Orleans. I felt stuck there, in those tiny places, reflecting how it was safe for me to stay small, cramped, ahem, ~closeted~ for most of my life. Then a friend offered for me to do a mural at her step-mom’s house, and everything changed. I loved the freedom, the enormous canvas, creating art with my whole body. And I am grateful I found the ability to take up space with my art.

What me and my aligned clients are like~

 

  • We are perpetual students

  • We mutually want to build a long term working relationship

  • We love being surrounded by art

  • We support our local communities

  • We appreciate the absurd

  • We like to travel and try new things

  • We know our time on earth is limited, so might as well make it a beautiful existence

  • We are a lil bit rowdy

  • We enjoy taking care of ourselves and others

  • We love and respect nature

  • We believe in magic

Want to follow my adventures and have an opportunity to get exclusive small works?

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