Humans of Lee — Lee Clarion

Justin Sigel arrived at our meeting spot by descending the Communication Building's stairs. A stark contrast to the tall glass windows and light filled entrance, Sigel walked down wearing a grey beanie and leather jacket; the very picture of a millennial artist. And yet, his true passion could really only be seen through his sapphire colored eyes, as they lit up discussing what his art means to him.

Sigel, who is a theology and art double major, gave up a scholarship to SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, to attend Lee.

'It just felt right,' Sigel said.

He found Lee through his performance art, in which he paints five-foot paintings to music on stage. There have been times he has been able to minister while creating.

'I talked about God as an artist ' We like to think of him as more of a builder, and our life has to be this perfect laid out thing, but I argued that God is more like an artist,' Sigel said. 'He's using darks and lights, and he's a messy painter, and our lives [are] this messy piece of art that doesn't make sense until the very end.'

Sigel said this is his experience of God in his own life. Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sigel said he went through some dark times. His father was laid off from his job and his family was struggling.

'But later down the road I realized God wasn't causing that to happen necessarily, but he was using those dark [times so] later down in my life [he could] help mold me and shape me,' Sigel said. 'I view God [as] picking up that situation like dark paint and putting it anywhere it needs to go, and making me into the masterpiece I'm ultimately going to be one day.'

His performance painting helped him transition to a new form of art he found at Lee. He always began his large scale paintings by sketching them on his iPad. So, when he began a digital illustration class last semester, the transition from paint to digital painting was much smoother.

'It kind of just flowed,'Sigel said. 'It's not just this aesthetically pleasing piece. It has information and definitely has a purpose, but it's a different kind of purpose than you would have in a traditional art form piece.'

Behind all of his art, he said there needs to be more than what you can see with your eyes on the canvas or the screen.

"From an early age I realized everything I did had to have a purpose. And if there wasn't purpose behind something ... what's the point?"

To Sigel, creation means something much deeper.

"If I could do something that could point to God, a God that [people] don't see on a daily basis I wanted to do that, and I wanted my art to speak who I was and what I believe."

Beyond the colors, the harsh brush strokes or the patterns on a computer screen, Sigel said he believes his life is much more than the things you see him create.

"Art is my passion, people are my purpose."

To see more artwork from Justin Sigel you can find him on Instagram @sigelarts.