Artist Interviews 2023

Sya Warfield    
By Laura Siebold



Sya Warfield is an exceptional artist. Not only does she create beautiful portraitures of strong, female characters, inspired by meditation and breathwork, she is also the creator of The Binaural Beat podcast on Spotify, a collection of sounds to help soothe anxiety and stress, and promote balance and peace. Sya’s artist statement on her website goes as follows: “A female-centric approach combined with social impact, art and storytelling play a role in my artistic practice. My work expresses a mystical aesthetic.” Sya’s mixed media art pieces and murals tell female stories of hope, perseverance, and strength. The artist’s recent 2023 spring series visualizes “a heroine’s journey”, bridging the gap between inner balance and healing for the outside world. I am delighted to have interviewed Sya for this issue of Art Squat Magazine. Please read on to discover more about Sya Warfield’s mystical art and her original sound compositions.



What does art mean to you? Have you always dreamed of becoming an artist?

To me, art is an external expression of the imagination. At a young age, I dreamt of living in Los Angeles and being a photographer who traveled the world.



Can you please try to describe your art in three words? Please go into detail about why you chose those three words.

Relax, inspire, create. These words are feelings I hope viewers have when they experience my work.



Where do you get your inspiration from? Do you need to be in a specific mood to create art?

My inspiration comes during meditation and breathwork practices.



You create both mixed media art pieces, as well as murals. How did you find your unique style and voice as an artist? Elaborate.

I have woven several mediums into my work throughout the past decade including video, photography, street art, mixed media, and most recently digital art. My unique style comes from listening to my inner voice and following my intuition.



You combine acrylic, newsprint, ink, oil pastel, and gold leaf in many of your works. How do you choose the newsprint? Is the written story directly related to the mixed media art you create, or does it become part of the art during the process of creation?

When upcycling, the materials become part of the art during the process.



You have centered many of your portraits around influential people that ignited change in society. In your opinion – how can art raise awareness for environmental, economic, and social inequalities we face around the world?

Art, like music, can include powerful messages that influence how we spend our time and money. Incorporating art into events engages participants and can inspire actions like shopping locally, volunteering and supporting community organizations.



What is one of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career? What kind of advice do you have for newly emerging artists to broaden the exposure of their work?

My most important lesson is my advice for newly emerging artists, ‘don’t take rejection personally and allow your intuition to be your guiding force.’



Among your art, you are also the host of the podcast The Binaural Beat on Spotify. How do you create those sounds for sound therapy? What is the purpose of the podcast and how is it related to your work as an artist?

I started my podcast in August 2022 and it was my first experience composing music. I’m familiar with Adobe Premiere and working in Adobe Audition felt like a similar experience. The first season, which includes episodes 1 – 13, are all my original compositions. My inspiration came from sounds I heard in nature like ocean waves, wind and rain. As season two approached, I decided to expand my team and include music composers. This felt like a natural progression for the production of the podcast. The purpose of The Binaural Beat Podcast is to support better living through sound therapy as a way to soothe anxiety, maintain mental health and recover from burn out. Each soundscape is chosen with meticulous care to reinvent presence as a ritual. My art as well as my podcast offer grounded energy combined with flow. Combining the two offers tranquility that becomes a form of healing in our fast-paced society.



We are curious about future projects. What are you currently working on?

I have a few exciting projects in the works that I hope to share soon!



What do you imagine to be your artistic legacy?

My body of work will inspire future generations to follow their instincts and to create from their heart.