Cardinal Sigitas TamkevičiusLithuanian Cardinal, Former Soviet Prisoner of Conscience & Champion of Religious Freedom

#SelfMade August Riche Wix Story

Name: #SelfMade August Riche Wix Story
Uploaded: 2015-12-07T14:29:36+00:00
Duration: 1 min 5 s
Channel: Cardinal Sigitas Tamkevičius
Description: In this first‑person interview, August Riche (Speaker A) describes his life as a self‑made artist in New York City. He emphasizes his hands‑on…

7 Dec 2015 · 1 min

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1:05

In this first‑person interview, August Riche (Speaker A) describes his life as a self‑made artist in New York City. He emphasizes his hands‑on approach—creating the artwork, handling logistics, and managing communications himself. A pivotal moment came in high school when a teacher called his art "ugly," which initially discouraged him. He responded by turning to stencil art, debuting with a portrait of Martin Luther King that cleverly incorporated the civil‑rights leader’s speech into his face. Posting the piece on Instagram and Facebook generated strong reactions, highlighting the power of social media for exposure. Throughout, August frames his art as a vehicle for personal fulfillment and a means to provide a better life for his family, positioning his creative work as both a personal passion and a pragmatic path to economic stability.

Chapters

Art has always been something that I was just always good at. I like to make things that are relatable. I'm the person doing the artwork. I'm answering emails, I'm going out to buy the supplies. And especially living in New York City, I'm doing all my back and forth. I'm on the trains, I'm on buses, holding art supplies and carrying things. During my freshman year of high school, my teacher told me that my art was ugly. That really just discouraged me. I started stenciling. The first one I ever did was of Martin Luther King. And when I post it on Instagram, Facebook, they couldn't believe that I could actually fit the speech into his face. I just want all my work to pretty much flourish into something amazing. Life wasn't always the easiest. And, you know, the bigger dream is through my talent, through my art. If I can use those things to give a better life for my family, then I've done my job pretty much on this earth.