Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Rockwell.
Hi Sam, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Sitting down to actually think about how I ended up in Atlanta, doing what I’m doing, really solidifies how had I made any other decisions, things would look a lot different for me.
I came to Georgia eight years ago for grad school at UGA. Athens was my first introduction to life in the South, having been a born and bred Midwesterner. I lived there year-round, got to know the city beyond being a “college town,” and started to find my people. Most of those people had a deep love of vintage clothing like I did. I spent a lot of time in Atomic, built up my midcentury clothing collection, and even did my Master’s thesis on the vintage consumer.
After two years in Athens, I moved to Atlanta. I wanted to find a community like the one I had found in Athens: creative people who had a deep love and appreciation for vintage clothing. I wandered into Kiwi Vintage (which used to be in EAV) and seemingly found that space. Kiwi connected me to so many like-minded people when it came to an appreciation for historic dress, slow fashion, and vintage style. It also led me to getting my first job in the film industry.
I’m not sure I ever intentionally sought out working in film. When I graduated from UGA, I knew I didn’t want to work in a corporate environment; I wasn’t interested in continuing my education to go into academia. I knew the film industry was growing in Atlanta, and being a customer seemed like something in my wheelhouse, but I had no idea how to break in. And then it just sort of happened I met the right person at the right time (thank you, Monica). Once I got in, I worked hard to learn everything I could, utilizing my knowledge of historic dress as an asset. It’s a stressful job with incredibly long days, but I can’t imagine doing anything else. I work on period shows as often as I can, primarily dressing and to a degree, designing the background actors.
Running parallel to all of this, I never stopped with my creative outlets: modeling, photography, and styling. The combination of being a vintage collector, working in costumes, and modeling has lent itself nicely to styling and art directing shoots. I’ve always been inspired by pin-up art of the 40s and 50s, and a lot of my early work fell into that genre. While I enjoyed it (and still do), I wanted to push myself out of that bubble. I wanted to tell more stories, become different people, and work collaboratively with the photographers to create art we were both proud of. The portrayal of the femme form throughout art history has always resonated with me. As someone with a complicated history with self-acceptance and body dysmorphia, something I think many people can relate to, delving into the fine art world felt like the ultimate challenge.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think there’s anything easy about being a creative or working in a creative field. Finding your voice, making a name for yourself, and meeting people who can be support systems in your journey is difficult enough. When I moved to Atlanta, I didn’t really know anyone. While social media can help you reach an audience (and let’s acknowledge that using it can be a full-time job in and of itself) I’ve always found building personal relationships with people in your community is so beneficial to creatives. Working in film as a model, stylist, and vintage seller are usually seen as competitive. While that’s not untrue, I think viewing them as collaborative spaces is far more beneficial for everyone. Discovering a community of vintage people led me to meet photographers, getting into and succeed in the film industry, and meet other creatives in general. I feel more well-rounded and better equipped to succeed as a creative because of others who do the same thing, not in spite of them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The work that is most “mine” truly centers around the intersection of vintage fashion and visual arts. I think because I often use myself as a subject in the photography I do, I unintentionally found myself becoming a stylist and art director in addition to a model. Before my network of creatives grew, if I wanted to make art, I had to rely on myself. Now that I have an amazing group of photographers and artists I can collaborate with, the skills I’ve developed are incredibly useful. I prefer to be a true collaborator, even as a model. I don’t want to be just the body or subject in the visual story being told. So, working with me means I want to work with you. And working with me means having access to a large set of skills, wardrobe, and props. Want to do a 1940s noir-style shoot? I can do the period-correct hair and makeup, be dressed head-to-toe in 1940s clothes, and have all the accouterments to make it realistic. How about something more editorial? I can transform myself into someone new, I probably have wardrobe pieces that fit the vision, and if not I will either find it or make it. At the end of the day, I only want to make art I can be proud of.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
As a non-native to Atlanta who now calls the city home, there’s a lot I’ve grown to love. There are of course, many things most people say, like delicious food from every corner of the world, great access to outdoor spaces in and just outside of the city, and access to live music of every genre. But I also love the creative community. It’s diverse; it exists in all genres and all mediums. And people are passionate about what they do. Spaces that support the visual arts are growing, but many of them are just under the surface of most people’s awareness. I would love to see spaces that support the visual arts, like small galleries, gain a bigger platform in Atlanta.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.samkrockwell.com/
- Instagram: @owlista and @owlistavintage
- Other: tiktok: @sam.k.rockwell
Image Credits
Emily Diamond, @emilydiamondphoto Sam K Rockwell DS Hathaway, Instagram @ds.hathaway Jordan, Instagram @jordanshootsfilm Benjamin, Instagram @lifeinpinkatl Eryn Price-Ormsby, erynthepolymath.com
