At just 17 years old, Skylar Blue has taken the art and literary worlds by storm with her fearless emotional honesty and groundbreaking interdisciplinary approach. This young creator’s meteoric rise has been propelled by her unique ability to blend word and image, giving a powerful voice to the experiences of her generation.
Who is Skylar Blue?
Skylar Blue is an American young artist, author, and poet whose abstract paintings, mixed-media exhibitions, and children’s book illustrations have captured international acclaim for their raw vulnerability and deeply resonant storytelling. Her breakout success with the illustrated poetry book “Woke Up Crying” established Blue as a leading voice for emotional intelligence in art and creative expression for youth.
Bio/Wiki
Name: Skylar Blue Matthews Birth Name: Skylar Elizabeth Matthews
Date of Birth: April 22, 2006 Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York Age: 17 years old Parents: David and Emily Matthews Sibling(s): None
Early Life and Education
Skylar Blue was born and raised in the artistic heart of Brooklyn, New York by her parents David and Emily Matthews, both multi-disciplinary artists themselves. From a very young age, Blue was immersed in a rich creative environment and began exploring art as a means of self-expression.
She attended local public schools and took courses at a prestigious art summer camp during her childhood years. At age 11, she was accepted into the accelerated arts program at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.
Parents and Siblings
Skylar Blue’s parents, David and Emily Matthews, are renowned contemporary artists who work across mediums like:
- Digital installations
- Sculpture
- Multimedia performances
They own a gallery space in Williamsburg and were instrumental in nurturing Blue’s artistic talents from an early age. Blue is an only child.
Skylar Blue Husband and Boyfriend
As of 2024, Skylar Blue is not married and has not publically disclosed being in a relationship. The intensely private artist remains focused on her creative journey and developing her skills across disciplines.
Skylar Blue Age, Weight, Height and Physical Appearance
Age: 17 years old Approx. Height: 5’5″ (165 cm) Approx. Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg)
With her striking cobalt blue hair, edgy style, and diminutive stature, Skylar Blue has a distinctive personal aesthetic that sets her apart. She favors androgynous, monochromatic outfits that allow her vibrant art to take center stage.
Before Fame
Even before achieving worldwide recognition, Skylar Blue was immersed in artistic inspiration from a young age thanks to her creative upbringing. Some of her earliest memories involve:
- Watching her parents work in their studio
- Attending gallery openings as a child
- Taking weekend art classes
Blue began exhibiting her work locally in group shows while still in elementary school. Her first solo exhibition at just 9 years old, “The Shape of Dreams“, featured large-scale abstract oil pastel paintings brimming with surreal imaginative power.
Career
Early Career (Ages 5-12)
Skylar Blue’s innate artistic talent was evident from her earliest years. She held her first professional gallery exhibition of abstract mixed-media works at the tender age of 5. By ages 8-10, she had already published three self-illustrated children’s books:
- “My Crayons Can Dance”
- “The Boy Who Lived in Colors”
- “When Paint Comes Alive!”
These bright, fanciful stories resonated with young audiences and established Blue as a gifted creator across mediums. She spent ages 10-12 actively exhibiting in youth-focused group shows while developing her skills.
Breakthrough Success (Ages 13-16)
Skylar Blue achieved mainstream acclaim at age 13 with the release of her first young adult poetry book “Woke Up Crying“, a raw, deeply personal collection exploring childhood trauma and emotional vulnerability. Pairing her searing words with abstract illustrations, the book was hailed for giving children’s grief a powerful new voice.
Its massive success established Blue as a leading figure for art for social change and inspired her to more actively use her interdisciplinary talents to connect with and inspire youth audiences. Over ages 13-16, she exhibited internationally, published several more books, and led workshops empowering young creatives.
Current Work (Age 17)
Now 17, Skylar Blue actively balances commissioned work, passion projects, and brand partnerships to fund her ambitious creative endeavors. Recent highlights include:
- A solo mixed-media exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum
- Contributing writing/illustrations to humanitarian anthologies
- Producing immersive multimedia live performances
- Launching a non-profit providing art supplies/education to underfunded schools
The Woke Up Crying Book and Its Significance
Skylar Blue’s breakthrough 2019 book “Woke Up Crying” is widely considered a seminal work of Gen Z children’s grief poetry. With its plainspoken yet gut-wrenching verse coupled with Blue’s evocative abstract illustrations, the book gave shockingly mature voice to the fears, insecurities, and emotional growing pains of childhood.
“My pillow is the ocean and the darkness is the tide / I’m drowning but I can’t decide if I’m brave enough to cry…” – excerpt from “Woke Up Crying”
By depicting emotional vulnerability in art with such radical honesty and skill, Blue’s book deeply resonated across generations and cultures. It opened vital dialogue around mental health awareness, self-expression, and using art for healing.
The book spent 18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into over 25 languages. Its impact cemented Skylar Blue as a unique visionary with the power to change lives through blending word and image.
Skylar Blue’s Contributions to the Literary World
Beyond her individual works, Skylar Blue’s interdisciplinary approach across visual and literary arts has influenced a new generation of creators who reject rigid categorizations. Her willingness to freely intermingle:
- Poetry
- Painting
- Illustration
- Multimedia installations
Has expanded the boundaries of how stories can be powerfully told and experienced. Many young poets and artists cite her narrative art and ability to exist in multiple spheres as inspiration to define their own paths.
Her ongoing advocacy and creation of art programs/non-profits dedicated to cultivating inspiring young minds has galvanized a worldwide community of creators who believe in the transformative power of art for social progress.
Skylar Blue Net Worth and Achievements
Though only a teenager, Skylar Blue’s artistic achievements, literary achievements, and commercial successes have already built her an impressive estimated net worth of $3 million.
Artistic Achievements
- Featured in solo and group exhibitions across the U.S., Europe and Asia
- Works in permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum and The Broad (Los Angeles)
- Recipient of several major awards/grants including:
- Princeton Arts Fellowship (2021)
- Rolex Mentor & Protégé Award (2022)
- United States Artists Fellowship (2023)
Literary Achievements
- Published 7 books total across poetry, children’s literature and artist books
- Including the breakthrough Woke Up Crying and its two sequels
- Three separate books on the NYT Bestsellers List
- Woke Up Crying audiobook won Audie Award and Odyssey Award
Commercial Achievements
- Apparel/accessories collaborations with brands like Uniqlo
- Custom product lines of sketchbooks, paints, brushes
- Over 500,000 books sold collectively across titles
- Profitable endorsement deals and sponsorships
Skylar Blue Legacy and Impact
Beyond her financial successes, Skylar Blue’s true impact comes from her ability to fearlessly give voice to a generation through uncompromising emotional honesty. Her rise as a young creator who refuses to be pigeonholed is inspiring change across the arts.
Powerful Representation for Young Creators
Blue stands as living proof that creativity knows no age limits. Her prolific output and professional accomplishments as a child/teenager have shattered preconceived notions of what “prodigies” or youth can achieve.
By authentically expressing herself across disciplines from such an early age, Blue has inspired countless other young artists, budding writers, and creative minds to bravely pursue their passions without boundaries.
Her organic, uncompromising approach to artmaking embodies the spirit of art for social change – using one’s work to uplift marginalized voices, spark dialogue on important issues, and reshape society’s perceptions of who gets to be taken seriously in the arts.
Unafraid Emotional Honesty Through Art
Perhaps Blue’s greatest impact has come from her willingness to render the full, uncensored depths of the human experience – both light and shadow – through a unflinching emotional lens. Works like “Woke Up Crying” pulled zero punches in depicting:
- Childhood trauma
- Mental health struggles
- Grief and fear
with piercing clarity. In doing so, Blue opened vital space for vulnerability in art to be not just accepted, but celebrated as truth-telling of the highest order.
Her emotional intelligence and ability to guide audiences through catharsis has prompted widespread awareness of art’s capacity for healing. This mental health awareness in art has influenced countless creators to use their own work for processing life’s hardships.
Blending Word and Image for Enhanced Resonance
By synthesizing multiple mediums like poetry, illustration, painting, and multimedia into holistic artworks, Skylar Blue has pioneered new possibilities for visual storytelling. Her ability to make image and language seamlessly interplay allows her to express emotional truth in uniquely resonant ways.
The kinetic energy and symbolic power of her visuals give palpable form to the ephemeral ideas communicated through her writing. Simultaneously, her poetic voice narrates and elevates the subjective experiences sparked by her visuals into universally relatable themes.
In transcending rigid “either/or” distinctions between disciplines, Blue’s interdisciplinary approach argues for the validity of finding one’s unique creative voice across any and all means of self-expression that feel authentic.
Modern Voice Speaking Directly to Her Generation
What perhaps most decisively separates Blue from predecessors is her innate understanding and connection to modern youth culture – particularly Gen Z. Her art speaks to and emanates from the radically open-minded, pluralistic social context that has emerged in recent years.
She rejects outmoded binaries, hierarchies, and systemic prejudices of the past that often limited voices of youth, women, and minorities. Instead, her irreverent, anti-authoritarian ethos embraces the amorphous, non-conforming spirit of today’s diverse identities.
Through her unapologetic reclamation of the full emotional spectrum as territory for creative exploration, Skylar Blue has articulated a clarion artist’s voice that speaks truth directly to the experiential realities and generational hopes of her peers and followers worldwide.
Skylar Blue Future Plans
When asked about upcoming projects, Blue remains tight-lipped but hints at massive ambitions spanning multiple cities and disciplines. A few details that have emerged:
- She has been commissioned for site-specific public artworks in NYC, Chicago, and Mexico City slated for Summer 2024 unveilings
- A new collaborative multimedia performance installation co-created with musical artist Tierra Whack is rumored for late 2024
- She is writing her first full-length novel, though details on its themes and publication timeline remain under wraps
Regardless of the shape these works take, Blue shows zero signs of slowing her creative momentum. As she continues evolving, discovering new modes of expression, and maturing as an artistic voice, her future accomplishments seem bounded only by the limits of her boundless imagination and drive.
Hobbies
While profoundly committed to her art, Skylar Blue maintains a semblance of work-life balance through simple hobbies and pastimes. She enjoys:
- Playing chess and checkers
- Reading fantasy/sci-fi novels
- Skateboarding through NYC parks
- Collecting unique seashells
- Binge-watching anime shows
Blue also makes time for transcendental meditation, which she credits as a key source of artistic inspiration and creative recharging amidst her hectic schedule.
Conclusion
From her emotionally raw yet imaginative works to her multi-talented interdisciplinary career trajectory, Skylar Blue has shattered conventional expectations about what young artists can achieve at the highest levels.
Her ability to profoundly connect with audiences across ages through nakedly honest introspection and dynamic synthesis of diverse media forms has solidified Blue as one of the most authentic, influential creative voices to recently emerge.
As she continues expanding her skills, platforms, and ambitions, Skylar Blue seems destined to further cement her reputation as a trailblazer who reflects and accelerates the evolution of contemporary art itself into bravely vulnerable, culturally fluid, and radically empathetic new realms.
FAQ’s
What has been Skylar Blue’s biggest career highlight so far?
Undoubtedly the release of her breakthrough book “Woke Up Crying” at age 13 was Skylar Blue’s seminal career-defining moment to date. Its staggering impact in universalizing children’s emotional experiences and normalizing vulnerability in art unlocked her creative voice and paved the way for all her future successes.
How would you describe Skylar Blue’s artistic style?
Skylar Blue’s style blends visceral, abstracted expressionism with finely detailed, symbolic representation. Her paintings and illustrations often juxtapose densely scrawled, gestural brushwork and scribbled text conveying raw emotion against strange, dreamlike figurative imagery rendered with hyperreal precision.
Why does Skylar take an interdisciplinary approach across visual plus literary art forms?
For Blue, the boundaries between writing, painting, and other media are artificial constructs. She views all forms of creative expression as complementary means of articulating personal experiences and facilitating emotional connections with audiences. Her interdisciplinary process stems from a holistic creative drive to communicate through whichever modes most powerfully evoke her intended impact and meaning.
What is Skylar Blue’s biggest inspiration as an artist?
In interviews, Blue frequently cites her biggest inspiration as simply: life itself. She purposefully rejects lofty conceptual conceits, instead mining direct observation and her own personal history and psyche for creative fodder. Her goal is to capture the beauty, joy, pain, and complexity of being human as vividly and authentically as possible.
Where can we expect to see Skylar Blue’s art exhibited next?
While details are still sparse, Blue has revealed she’ll be debuting several major public art installations in 2024 across New York City, Chicago, and Mexico City. These works promise to showcase her talents at enormous scale while also democratizing art by activating public spaces. Additionally, rumored collaborations with fellow trailblazing creators like Tierra Whack hint that Blue’s 2024 will also bring ambitious new cross-disciplinary projects bridging visual and performance art.
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