Meet Sydney Khan | Multi Disciplinary Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sydney Khan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sydney, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risks have played an important role in my ability to stay fluid and evolve in my industry. Taking risks is essential to stoking newness in my work and revitalizing my creative practice. Often times the risks I am the most afraid of taking have taught me about myself and my perceived limitations. In taking risks I have found myself experimenting with different art forms and pushing through creative barriers. My perspective has shifted in the way that I view risk recently and I have been surprised by the outcomes and opportunities that have presented themselves. It feels like a oscillation between contraction and expansion that is necessary for growth in life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m still learning so much about myself as an artist, I recently made an investment in my own studio space. Having extra space to explore my creative curiosities has proven to be essential to this work. I am beginning to create pieces which are larger than I would have ever believed, I am literally taking up space!

The journey to the place I am today has not always been easy, the most difficult part was being consistent and continuing to feed my creativity. There were many times I considered re routing or moving in a more corporate direction, but it never really felt like me, my soul felt suffocated.

I overcame these challenges by spending time with myself and developing a spiritual practice connected to my ancestral roots. Moving through the world in this way has expanded my abilities as an artist and human being.

I am constantly transforming, evolving and changing. you can shapeshift and become who you want to be, not what others expect you to be. There is so much ahead of you when you follow your spirit and intuition. Focus on what will work, not what will not. Go within and you will not be without.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start by taking a friend down south to the Evergreen Woods in Olympia and then we could head to Seward park on our way back into the city. This would be a great day full of trees and water, very mellow, good for a Sunday morning/afternoon trip.

We would most likely do the tourist thing and go to the Space Needle, just because the view is really spectacular. We could then head to the Seattle Art Museum or the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture.

Sen Noodle Bar in Ballard is phenomenal and a place I went before I moved to Washington and I immediately fell in love with the Gaoy Tiow Khaek. And we could go to Straw after dinner for some of the most delicious ice cream. Enseamada is also an amazing restaurant a bit outside of Seattle.

If you like dogs or are traveling with your furry friends then we would have to go to Magnusson park on a warm day, there is a dog park near by and the dogs can take a dip in the lake.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shout out my dad, a fellow creative who paved the way for me on this creative journey and made many sacrifices making the path a little less bumpy.

Website: sydneykhan.com

Instagram: @sydkhanstudio