The philosophical question has been asked many times before: does art imitate life, or does life imitate art? For Saegel Bascombe, life is art. If she can’t create, she doesn’t feel like herself. Many have been forced into entrepreneurship (using the opportunity to start a business, for instance) because of the pandemic; but for Saegel, wearable art has always been a dream. Art does not have to be conventional and can exist off the canvas too. CARIB VOXX got the chance to ask the face behind the art some questions about her brand, Saegel Art.
“If God gives you a talent, He wouldn’t give it for no reason.” – Saegel Bascombe
Pursuing careers in the creative industry has always been frowned upon in certain parts of the Caribbean region, but Bascombe decided to pursue what she believes she’s meant to do. Saegel Art was not a side business; the pandemic just happened to coincide with her plan to actually begin producing and selling products under the business she registered years ago. Make no mistake – this is not a crossover into fashion design, but an extension of her fine art pieces. Fine art will always be her first love. She approaches these pieces just like a sculpture, to be precise; conceptualizing the final product in her mind before execution. The products reflect artistic elements and styles she’s exploring. Currently, she is exploring shadow depth, which can be seen in her first product – the “Agua Bag”. She wanted to push the boundaries of what a bag is, just like artists push boundaries in their paintings and sculptures. Plus, she loves a good statement bag!
Bascombe embeds her own values and personality into her brand. She wants to continue creating products that are one-of-a-kind which may be treasured more than an easily replaceable product. She avoids plastic packaging and uses leftover material in her pieces. Her latest product is testament to the art of repurposing; one man’s trash is Bascombe’s reversible bucket hat.
We should all take a page out of her book and make our dreams non-negotiable. Follow your talent – it’s there for a purpose. Whether you like your art hangable or wearable, check out Saegel Art on Instagram (@saegel_art).
