John Solomon Sandridge facts for kids

John Solomon Sandridge, born on May 10, 1950, is an amazing American artist. He is a painter, sculptor, and even an author and inventor! He's famous for being the first Black artist allowed by The Coca-Cola Company in the 1990s to use African-American themes in his art. He also created sculptures for the Olympic Soccer Committee during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Growing Up: John's Early Life

Sandridge grew up in Gadsden, Alabama, with his parents and six brothers and sisters. Even though his family didn't have much money, John had a big imagination.

How John Started Making Art

He started creating art when he was only four years old. His first drawing was a stick figure in the family Bible! He would use any paper scraps or materials his mom gave him, along with pencils, to draw and imagine. Once, he even turned an old bed sheet into a canvas for a painting he still has today.

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

John's Professional Art Career

Becoming a Top Artist

Even without formal art training, John's unique style caught the eye of The Coca-Cola Company in the early 1970s. He worked for an outdoor sign company, where he painted a very realistic image of Niagara Falls. This huge painting, 14 feet by 48 feet, also featured the famous Coca-Cola bottle and logo.

The billboard was so popular that it won an award! People from The Coca-Cola Company drove all the way from Atlanta to Gadsden to see John's artwork. John was proud, but he felt that the unfair racial attitudes of the time kept him from getting the full credit he deserved. He wasn't even properly introduced to the people who loved his work. John didn't let racism stop him. He soon left that company.

Starting His Own Business

With a wife and six children to support, John started his own company, Sandridge Signs. He also worked part-time at Sears, Roebuck & Co. To stand out from other sign companies, John found a great opportunity on a brick wall at a busy intersection. He asked the owner of a car parts store if he could paint a mural.

The owner was interested, so John returned with sketches. The result was an amazing 3D painting of a Volkswagen car crashing into the wall. It looked like half the car was inside the store and half was sticking out! This mural became an instant hit and helped Sandridge's sign business take off.

Working with Coca-Cola

From 1990 to 1996, John was officially licensed by Coca-Cola International. This meant he could use their images and bottle designs in his art. He was the first Black American artist to get this special permission from the company. He created paintings with Black American themes that became popular Coca-Cola collectibles. These included serving trays, note cards, and prints.

His first original Coca-Cola painting sold for $30,000. This was the most he had ever earned for a single painting at that time. Later, some of his artworks were valued at 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 opening of The Coca-Cola Company's gift store in Las Vegas. After working with the global drink company, John became an art teacher for the Gadsden City Schools in Alabama. He helped create The Gadsden City Arts Program.

Before that, as Atlanta got ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics, John was asked by the Olympic Soccer Committee to create special prints and a bronze sculpture. John has also illustrated many books, like The Bridal Wreath Bush and The Little Known Black History Facts. His work was even featured on The Tom Joyner Morning Show. In 2000, he partnered with The McDonald's Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, and radio star Tom Joyner for a marketing project.

John's Business Successes

Sandridge Signs was just the first of many businesses John started over 40 years. In the late 1980s, he closed the sign company to focus on painting full-time. He opened Sandridge Art Studio and Gallery, where he taught private classes for nine years. In 1994, Black Enterprise Magazine recognized John for his successful business selling limited edition prints and figurines. Later, he became interested in natural healing. He studied natural medicine and created his own line of herbal supplements.

John as an Inventor

John is very creative and has developed several artistic ideas. He owns the copyrights and trademarks for concepts like Papa-Cause™ and Numinousneoism™ Art. He also shares a message called "One Great Thing" to help people have successful relationships and happy lives.

Papa-Cause: A Friendly Character

John created, drew, and wrote about a joyful Black character named Papa-Cause. Papa-Cause is described as a friend of Santa Claus. He makes children happy with his warm, caring spirit, friendly nature, and wise advice. Papa-Cause's stories are inspired by John's rich cultural background. They share nostalgic tales of holiday joy and family love. In February 2018, the City of Gadsden, Alabama, honored John and his Papa-Cause character. They declared the first Saturday in February as Papa Cause Day for "reinvigorating the spirit of unity and positivity."

Numinousneoism Art: Spiritual Creations

Numinousneoism Art is a unique art style John developed in 2010. It is inspired by spiritual and ancestral ideas. John created 100 original pieces in this style. This art focuses on using spiritual messages and imagination. It combines different visual elements to create art that shows Black American heritage and feminine energy principles like warmth and trust.

John says this art "contains all previous and future art styles" like cubism and realism. Most importantly, he says it "captures the expressions of our ancestors, the original Black Africans." More than 400 Numinousneoism™ Art paintings and sculptures have been created and sold. John continues to make more every day.

!One-Great-Thing!: Changing the World

!One-Great-Thing! (OGT) is a movement that encourages people to change their attitude and mindset. The goal is to have successful relationships and a happy life. John created this idea and wrote a 35-page book about it. His message is simple: "change your attitude." He wants to inspire children, teens, and young adults to use their imagination. He believes they can change the world, save the future, and make it a better place for everyone.

To spread the OGT message, John has put together a creative team. This team includes music producer Terry Coffey, videographers Jason Knotts and Nick Lang, actors David "Dae" Sandridge and Judah Sandridge, and author Frances Irene.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

In 2011, John started the Number 2 Pencil Foundation, Inc. This is a non-profit organization in Chelsea, Alabama, focused on art education. Its goal is to inspire creativity and imagination through visual arts. It also helps students improve their thinking, speaking, and reading skills.

The Foundation holds workshops, training, and art education programs. It also creates products like books, art kits, and T-shirts for young people across Alabama. In 2014, John, through the Foundation, taught a group of high school and college students. He guided them in creating a large outdoor mural for a local business.

The organization gets support from donations. John also donates his Numinousneoism™ Art to the Foundation. The Foundation then gets 100% of the money from selling this artwork to use for its programs and operations.

Public Awards and Honors

John has received many awards for his art. These include the Distinguished Service Award from Gadsden State Community College (2011), the Governor of Alabama Award, and the City of Gadsden Award. He has also received 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's artwork is collected all over the world. Some famous people who own his art include radio personality Tom Joyner, singer Larry Blackmon of Cameo, and singer Dionne Warwick. Even President Barack Obama was given one of John's paintings during a visit to Atlanta in 2012.

Six of John's Black Western-themed sculptures were given to Athens State University in Athens, Alabama, in 2013 by the Wideman family.

John's Inspiring Quotes

• "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's Artistic Works

Art Exhibitions

John's art has been shown in many places:

• 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

• 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

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."