Soul Artist
Art for the Soul
About Sam St. John
Sam St. John ( she/her) is an Indigenous multimedia artist from Hastings, Minnesota. Sam is a painter, poet, live painter, art facilitator, performance artist, and singer. Sam has an Associate degree in Fine Art from Inver Hills Community College. Sam is a member at Art to Change the World, a social justice art nonprofit. Sam was also an apprentice at Curiosity Studios working with a licensed art therapist trained in facilitating art therapy-informed community-based art sessions. Sam has an event space and gallery in the Northrup King Building in Studio 404.
Sam is passionate about art transforming lives. Sam’s art is grounded in the essence of storytelling, resilience, authenticity, and vulnerability. Rooted in the soul, art evokes emotions, fosters connections, and builds community. Sam believes that creating art, in any form, is a means of self-healing. She paints with expressive bright colors that narrate her story, recognizing the power embedded in our narratives. Sam uses her art to start conversations about mental health, identity, queerness, race, healing, and trauma in hopes of inspiring others.
Sam has worked with the Minnesota Twins for the CityConnect Project to celebrate the release of the new uniforms. Sam live-painted Adirondack chairs to be auctioned off to raise money for nonprofits that preserve the boundary waters and youth programs.
Sam was also part of the Emma Norton/Restorative Waters Project, which had artists paint original artwork for women in transformational housing who are experiencing homelessness, mental health disorders, substance abuse disorders, chronic illness, and trauma. In 2023, Sam worked with the U of M and Masonic Institute of Research for the Brain as an art facilitator for a case study on how creativity impacts the brain with adolescents and undergraduates.
Currently Sam hosts monthly events in her studio space at the Northrup King Building. Sam co-hosts Tribal Community which is a healing song circle including meditation, vocal harmonization, open-art studio and sharing food. Sam also hosts Elevated alcohol and substance free parties featuring local musicians/DJ's, with elegant food art, and immersive art experience in her gallery space. She also has a monthly all women's artist and models Life Drawing Cirlce in her space to empower and create community.
Sam has had projects with the Minnesota Twins, the Masonic Institute of Research for the Brain, Art To Change the World, Art for All, Emma Norton Restoring Waters, American Indian Family Center, Curiosity Studios, the Minnesota History Museum, Common Bond, Modus Locus Expansion, Sobr, Artelfest, and the Cedar Cultural Center. Sam has also shown her work internationally in London, England.
