Bio

Sal Steiner is a trans artist located in SF who has been creating since he was a child. Throughout his life, Sal has found ways to evolve in art and in life while weaving his dark side to dance with his creativity. Sal is a seeker of Truth & Love, who finds ways to play and test the bounds of life's constructs while gently nourishing a willingness to learn and be humbled. Sal has experience in various mediums and practices, some which include; pen, pencil, graphite, oil, acrylic, gouache, watercolor, screen printing, graphic design, & more. Sal’s life and art has been both guided and challenged by many different communities over the course of self discovery.  

In his ongoing series, "Interwoven: Headscapes", he uses his love of tiny lines to scribble out masterful depictions of hair. As Sal has continued to work, his love for Black hair has shown through as his main focus, highlighting the ways in which people wear their hair for self empowerment or as a statement.  

The absence of the person's face draws you into the fine details and tests you to look beyond.

You can find out more about Sal by visiting his various social platforms (@salsteiner) or by going to his website at salsteiner.com.

Statement

I am a magnet to hair, particularly, Black hair. On the train, on the bus, at a show, at the park, I see the beautiful hairstyles that people create just to go about their daily lives and I am left in awe. I stand back and trace the beautiful lines and twisted hair with my eyes. I love to watch how they move and slowly take on a life of their own. Each hair I draw pulls me into a deeper meditation, a rhythmic trance that leaves me searching for the next detail.  

My first hair drawings were simple joys, and appreciation of these works of art. Over time, this appreciation has coincided with the growing momentum of the BLM movement, and has challenged me to bring further awareness to Black beauty.  

Honestly, I am just bringing the focus to someone else's art; their crown.

What is one thing you’d like our readers to know about you?

The long and winding road to become who I am has been a combination of living, exploring, and growing up in several different places and communities. I am forever thankful to the communities in Omaha, Boston, Austin, and the Bay Area for helping me claim my queer identity and supporting me on my transgender journey. I am now guided by the simple and loving philosophy of “The Golden Rule” and I am more open to sharing that light with others as I learn and grow within the greater community of the world.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?

I am a big believer in observation and using that as a form of reflection. My biggest source of inspiration is whatever is around me and my relationship to it at that moment. It can be a leaf, a shadow, the way the light hits a glass, the foam in my beer, the humming of a tune. The list would really go on forever. One of my greatest abilities is the appreciation of my surroundings and being able to translate that into an artform. The “Headscapes” series is the perfect example. I see Black and Afro-Latinx people using their hair as a form of expression and revolution and I want to highlight the beauty that resides there.

Why do you create and how has your art practice affected your life?

I love to create. As I look at the world, I am aware of the way in which my environment has affected my art and how it is constantly evolving. My art is a way of recording and celebrating my life while reflecting the beauty of my surroundings. The fluidity of my practice over time has allowed me the freedom to explore new methods through my personal development and to form a symbiotic relationship that highlights a deeper meaning in all that I do.

@salsteiner