They aren't photographs. They're paintings. That's the quickest way to describe the work of self-taught artist Nick Sider '10, whose acrylics are taking the world by storm. Social media has played a huge role in publicizing his work. Over the summer, he began posting videos of his painting process. Rapper 50 Cent then shared one of Sider's videos on Facebook, causing a viral sensation of more than 25,000 likes and 7 million views. Although Sider spent hours drawing in his room throughout childhood, he chose to skip art school and instead major in Christian ministries at É«×ۺϾþÃ. Although he tried the pastoral route for two years, he says he was at a loss. "My parents reminded me my dream was to be a painter and that I should give it a shot," he said, from his Brooklyn, New York, home. "I got a job as a waiter and started painting. In six months, I was able to start it as a career. Four years ago, I wasn't even thinking of painting, but here I am. God was like, 'This is what you want to do.' A significant portion of what he has learned as an artist has been through trial and error. Painting with watered-down acrylics, he builds layer upon layer of paint to create the hyper-realistic style for which he is now known. His inspiration comes from God, he says. "I am able to create things based off what God created," said Sider. "It's a really cool connection through God that I never felt before." His latest work involves a series of paintings based on Syrian refugees. Now an internationally known artist, Sider hopes to continue painting for a living. "There are a lot of hassles an artist has to deal with," said Sider, " but me as a kid would be clapping for me now. This is what I always wanted to do. When I'm painting, it's my favorite thing to do in the world."
- Gabrielle Kurtz '18