John Solomon Sandridge facts for kids

John Solomon Sandridge (born May 10, 1950) is an American artist. He is a painter, sculptor, illustrator, and author. He is also an educator, inventor, and businessman.

John Sandridge is famous for a few big reasons. He was the first Black artist licensed by The Coca-Cola Company. This happened in the early 1990s. He was allowed to put African-American themes into his artwork for them. He was also chosen to create a sculpture for the Olympic Soccer Committee. This was for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings

John Sandridge grew up in Gadsden, Alabama. He lived with his parents and six brothers and sisters. Their house had only three rooms. He finished Carver High School and went to Gadsden State Community College.

His family did not have much money. But John had a very creative and imaginative spirit. He started making art when he was only four years old. His first drawing was a stick figure in the family Bible. He would use any paper or materials his mother gave him. He mostly used number two pencils to draw his ideas. He was very clever for his age. Once, he used an old bed sheet to make a canvas. He drew a painting on it that he still has today.

As a teenager, his love for art grew even more. He earned $15 for three cartoon sketches. He sent them to The Alabama Sunday Weekly newspaper. This made him believe he could be an artist for a living. His first job was painting for a company that made commercial displays.

John Sandridge's Art Career

Becoming an Artistic Influencer

John Sandridge never went to art school. But his unique style caught the eye of The Coca-Cola Company. This happened in the early 1970s. He was working for an outdoor sign company. He painted a very realistic image of Niagara Falls. It featured the famous Coca-Cola bottle and logo. This huge sign was 14 feet tall and 48 feet wide.

The billboard was so popular that it won an award. People from The Coca-Cola Company drove from Atlanta to Gadsden. They wanted to see John's artwork. John was proud of his work. But he knew that racism at the time would not let him get the credit he deserved. He was not even properly introduced to the men who loved his work. John did not accept racism or disrespect. He soon left that company.

John had a wife and six children to support. So, he started his own company, Sandridge Signs. He also worked part-time at Sears, Roebuck & Co. He knew his new sign company was competing with bigger ones. He needed to stand out. He saw a great chance on a brick wall at a busy intersection. It was next to a foreign car parts store.

One day, John talked to the owner about painting a mural. The owner was interested and asked him to bring sketches. John returned with his ideas. The result was amazing. He painted a realistic, three-dimensional image of a Volkswagen car. It looked like it had crashed into the wall. Half the car seemed to be inside the store, and half sticking out. It became an instant hit and everyone talked about it. This helped John's sign business really take off.

Working with Big Companies

From 1990 to 1996, Coca-Cola International gave John a special license. This allowed him to use their images and bottle designs in his art. This made him the first Black American artist licensed by the company. He designed paintings with Black American themes. These became popular Coca-Cola art collectibles. They were used on serving trays, note cards, prints, and other items. His first original Coca-Cola painting sold for $30,000. This was the most he had ever earned for one painting at that time. Later, his artwork became worth up to $1.5 million.

John continued to work with The Coca-Cola Company. In 1997, they asked him to paint a portrait of Wendy's founder, Dave Thomas. He was also a featured artist for The Coca-Cola Company's Las Vegas gift store opening. After working with the global soft drink company, John became an art teacher. He taught in the Gadsden, Alabama City School system. He helped create The Gadsden City Arts Program.

Before that, Atlanta was getting ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics. John was asked by the Olympic Soccer Committee to create special prints. He also made a limited edition bronze sculpture. John has also illustrated many books. These include The Bridal Wreath Bush and The Little Known Black History Facts. His work was shown on The Tom Joyner Morning Show. In 2000, he worked with The McDonald's Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, and radio star Tom Joyner.

Entrepreneurial Success

Sandridge Signs was just the start for John. He created many businesses over forty years. In the late 1980s, he closed the sign company. He then worked full-time as a painter. He also opened Sandridge Art Studio and Gallery. For nine years, he taught private art classes and groups. In 1994, Black Enterprise Magazine noticed John's success. He had found a great way to sell limited edition prints and figurines. Later, he became interested in natural healing. He studied naturopathic medicine. He also created and sold his own line of herb supplements.

John Sandridge as an Inventor

John Sandridge is very creative and imaginative. He has developed several art ideas. He holds copyrights and trademarks for them. These include Papa-Cause™ and Numinousneoism™ Art. He also shares a message called "One Great Thing." This message is about having successful relationships and a happy life.

Papa-Cause

John created and wrote about a joyful Black character named Papa-Cause. He is described as a friend of Santa Claus. Papa-Cause makes children of all ages happy. He has a warm, caring spirit and is very friendly. He also gives wise advice. Papa-Cause was inspired by John's rich cultural background. He is a unique character with his own holiday stories. These stories are about joy and family love. In February 2018, the City of Gadsden, Alabama, honored John and Papa-Cause. They said he "reinvigorated the spirit of unity and positivity." They made the first Saturday in February Papa Cause Day.

Numinousneoism Art

Numinousneoism Art is a beautiful and spiritual art style. John developed it in 2010. He created 100 unique pieces of art in this style. This art style uses spiritual messages and imagination. It combines different visual elements. The artwork is filled with Black American heritage. It also includes feminine energy principles like warmth, openness, and trust. John says this art "contains all previous and future art styles." This includes cubism, expressionism, and realism. He says it "most importantly, captures the expressions of our ancestors, the original Black Africans." More than 400 Numinousneoism™ Art paintings and sculptures have been made and sold. He has also written six original books about it. John continues to create more every day.

!One-Great-Thing!

!One-Great-Thing! (OGT) is a movement to help people change their mindset. It aims to help them have better relationships and a happy life. John came up with this idea. He wrote a 35-page book with the same title. It is based on his forty years of studying self-help and personal growth. His message is simple: "change your attitude." It is a powerful idea. He wants to inspire young people to use their imagination. He believes they can change the world, save the future, and make it a better place for everyone.

To share the OGT message, John has put together a great team. They create videos, music, and other content. The team includes music producer Terry Coffey, videographers Jason Knotts and Nick Lang, actors David "Dae" Sandridge and Judah Sandridge, and author Frances Irene. The team planned to launch the OGT campaign in summer 2015.

Giving Back: Philanthropy

In 2011, John started the Number 2 Pencil Foundation, Inc. This is a non-profit organization for art education. It is located in Chelsea, Alabama. The foundation's goal is to inspire creativity and imagination through art. It also helps students improve their thinking, speaking, and reading skills. The Foundation holds workshops and art programs. It also creates products like books, art kits, and T-shirts for young people in Alabama. In 2014, John led a mural workshop through the Foundation. High school and college students created an outdoor mural for a local business.

The organization gets money from public and private donations. John also donates his Numinousneoism™ Art to the Foundation. The Foundation then gets 100% of the money from selling this artwork. This money is used for their programs and operations.

Public Recognition

John Sandridge has been honored for his art. He received the Distinguished Service Award from Gadsden State Community College in 2011. He also received the Governor of Alabama Award and the City of Gadsden Award. He was given the keys to the cities of Birmingham, Alabama; Gadsden, Alabama; Rainbow City, Alabama; and Fairfield, Alabama. In February 2019, John was named 19th on a list of 100 notable people in Shelby County, Alabama.

Famous Art Collectors

John Sandridge's artwork has been collected all over the world. Some famous people who own his art include:

• Radio personality Tom Joyner
• Business executive Al Joyner
• Atlanta business executive Mack Wilbourn
• Business executive Bernard Bronner (president of Bronner Bros.)
• Former NFL football player Howard Ballard
• Actress Beverly Todd
• Singer Larry Blackmon from the band Cameo
• Singer Dionne Warwick
• President Barack Obama was given a Sandridge painting by Mack Wilbourn in 2012.

Dr. Douglas Highland, a former director of the Birmingham Museum of Art, asked John to paint a portrait of his wife. In 2013, six of John's Black Western-themed sculptures were given to Athens State University in Athens, Alabama by the Wideman family.

Inspiring Quotes from John Sandridge

• "I was born for Art."
• "Be careful what you ask for, you will get that."
• "Without imagination there is no creation."
• "Looking at Art is spiritual. Making Art is the spiritual full experience. Art is my religion….reconnection with the Creator of Life (God)."
• "Art flows through my mind and hands as luminous messages: paintings, sculptures, books, music, and videos."
• "Art is a tool that young people can use to develop their imagination, to change their life situation and to change the world for the better. I always tell the kids that your imagination will take you anywhere you want to go."

John Sandridge's Artistic Works

Exhibitions

John Sandridge's art has been shown in many places, including:

• Tubman African American Museum, Macon, GA
• Burritt Museum, Huntsville, AL
• Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, AL
• Talladega Museum, Talladega, AL
• Talladega College, Talladega, AL
• The Graham Collection Gallery, Washington, DC
• 36th Annual Spring Arts Festival, Talladega, AL
• Atlanta Life Exhibit, Atlanta, GA
• Featured artist on the Tom Joyner's Fantastic Voyage Cruise (2013)
• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Numinousneoism™ Art, Opening exhibit (January 11 – March 23, 2014)

The Red Book and Cotton Series

• Lucy-Crat Laney Museum, August, GA
• Chattanooga African-American Museum, Chattanooga, TN
• Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL
• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham, AL

The Wake Up and Live Series

• Southern Roots Exhibition, Birmingham, AL

Books Written by John Sandridge

• 1998 – Papa-Cause: The Friend of Santa Claus, ISBN: 978-0966733600
• 2010 – Red Book and Cotton, ISBN: 978-0966733648
• 2013 – The Black-Artist Tale: A Real True Story, ISBN: 978-0615835020
• 2014 – One Great Thing, ISBN: 978-0966733655