Bringing Art to Life by Sydney Ray
Sydney Ray became a part of Creative Clay’s Transition Program in 2012 and joined our Community Arts Program in 2016. What follows are her own words.
“I wanted to be an animator, and make cartoons come to life. I’ve been watching how they make the movies. Now for six months, I’ve been playing guitar at the School of Rock.
I like painting. I like the painting part. Trying to make cartoons come to life and painting the ink to make cartoons come to life like in Beauty and the Beast, and I like doing guitar lessons. I’m good with the drums though too. My dad taught me how to play the drums with the drumsticks. I like doing paintings and selling them out.
Sydney works on one of her animation cells.
I like the music room where you can learn about stage terms and holding the mic to do singing and karaoke and stuff. And when you’re performing on stage you can make a recording. I stay at the center stage if I’m singing a song. I like doing karaoke more often and playing guitar.
I like as a future goal, swimming better and going onstage and being a music artist just like my dad is. And playing like Alicia Keys. I know how to write a song and print out the music and playing instruments.”
Sydney and Meike Groh outside the MFA, the site of 2019's ArtLink Event
In 2019, Sydney participated in Creative Clay’s Artlink Apprenticeship Program with Professional Artist and Animator Meike Groh. Together they created a 30 second animated film called “Just a Short” that was featured in the Florida Animation Festival in Tallahassee. Sydney was very proud of her achievement.
“Meike helped me out making a short film, making the drawings come to life for Artlink. I had to create my own characters. My manga books helped me learn to draw. My character was named Leo. He went to work and came home. I made mine my way, different than they do, and I made the soundtrack to my anime movements.”
Sydney at the debut of her short film Just a Short
I like Japanese writing and how to speak Japanese. ‘Konnichiwa’ is hello and ‘sayonara’ is goodbye. I listen to Japanese singing to learn Japanese. I watched a video on how to introduce yourself in Japanese. In French its ‘bon soir’ for good night.”
Sydney is currently participating in the Artlink Takamatsu-St. Petersburg Mail Art project and has been exchanging artwork with her partner Aaroka Yuuichi.
Sydney preparing work to send to her counterpart in Japan for the ArtLink collaborative mail art project
“The favorite art I made is the bride and groom, and they were having a wedding together when they are holding each other’s hands in a Japanese style. I use my emotions to understand my friend Darrion and I can understand dogs too. Dogs are very sensitive pets and cats too.
My dream for the future is being a wife, and help my sister with her homework, and help my uncle with his exercising. I want to help my father with walking the dogs and help my mother with cooking dinner and lunches and treats for the holidays and brownies for a special occasion.
If somebody wants to become an artist, I’ll help them out. I can help children out with their music and the basics of playing instruments.”
Sydney Ray Exhibitions (August issue 2025)
The Good Folk Show Good Folk Gallery Jan 2024
Inspire Inclusion Celebrating Women’s History Good Folk Gallery March 2024
Iconic Landmarks Lost Spring for the Arts April 2024
100 Discs and 100 Years Art Show St. Pete Shuffleboard Club May 2024
The Good Folk Traveling Show Good Folk Gallery May June 2024
Humans St. Pete Beach Library Partnership Exhibit July 2024
Summertime Good Folk Gallery July August 2024
A Folk Art Holiday Good Folk Gallery Nov Dec 2024
UNWRAPPED Florida CraftArt Holiday Show Nov--Dec 2024
Dunedin Fine Art Center Holiday Show 2024 Ornaments Nov Dec 2024
Retrospective 30: Celebrating Women Artists Good Folk Gallery March 2025
RETROSPECTIVE 30: Featuring 30 Years of Creative Clay’s Artists Good Folk Gallery April 2025