Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Sydney Garcia
Artist Sydney Garcia, better known as Giddy Figgy, creates the type of content you wish you could live in. Colorful, whimsical, and creative, her posts are impossible not to inspire. Garcia talked to NYOTA about being a patchwork creative, selling dinner party bundles on Etsy, and sharing her work online.
Were arts and crafts a large part of your childhood?
Definitely! I found a lot of joy in dreaming and making things. Little me was all about arts and crafts, lots of imaginary play, and building worlds out of Polly Pockets and Barbies. I obsessively watched movies and fixated on other worlds outside of my own, it was more fun and always inspired me to want to create stories of my own. I was quite the anxious child and intense worrier and I’d cope by devoting myself to creative outlets. It was a natural reflex and brought me a lot of peace and comfort. I still carry a lot of that child-like wonder with me and I hope it comes through in my art and day-to-day.
You have such a unique eye, and it shines through in your artwork. How did you develop your artistic style?
That is so kind, thank you! I started painting as a therapeutic exercise when I was an extremely lost and sad freshman in college in 2016. I began watercoloring and it was the most intuitive and mind-easing outlet for me. I felt so confident in painting and was being creatively fulfilled in ways that studying economics was never going to do for me. When I look back at my first paintings the essence of my style is very much the same nine years later. I think this is attributed to being obsessively loyal to my joys which I’ve continued to cultivate and dive deeper into. Nostalgia, child-like whimsy, infusing art in the small things, all these elements inspire me to create the work I share.
Decor and art-related content is not uncommon to see online, but yours truly stands out. Did you initially see posting on social media as a way to promote your business or as a creative outlet?
I started sharing my work online as a creative outlet, with the hope that I could create a business from it. Although I had no plan of how that was going to happen, I felt like it had been way too long of being stalled by fear and it was time to put myself out there and just see what happens. I’ve been making art and creatively curating a lot longer than I have been posting online, but in 2023 I felt ready to put my work out there in the most consistent, true-to-me way. Truly living for the hope of it all. I often tell my friends that I have no idea where any of this is going to lead, but I have such a strong will to just keep going with it. And now, when I look back from when I started posting to now, I’m so grateful for how everything is taking shape.
Tell our readers a bit about your Etsy shop. What is your ideation process when it comes to the items you sell, and how do you decide on the themes for your dinner party bundles?
Right now my Etsy features dinner party bundles, which are editable templates composed of an invitation, menu, and place card designs. These are meant to be the paper accessories at a party and are designed to artistically celebrate the joy of gathering. I love all things entertaining and themed dinner parties, and it felt natural to make art that fits into these occasions. All of the bundles I’ve made throughout the seasons and holidays are for the gatherings I’ve hosted myself and then I just put them up on my Etsy for anyone else who may want them. My dream is to continue to expand the bundle designs and include more themes and styles. I love creating the artwork for them and it’s so honoring when I see others use them at their gatherings.
In your videos, you express yourself through your artwork, decor choices, glimpses of your outfits, and the food you create. Is it your personal practice to try out different artistic mediums to keep your creativity flowing?
Absolutely. I feel like I’m a patchwork creative who wants to exert that energy in as many outlets as I can. It feels very intuitive to express that in a variety of ways because I think it’s so ingrained in my personality to love things obsessively. A small example would be stripes. I love stripes so much that you will see that in my art, throughout my home decor, striped food if I can help it, and down to the socks on my feet. There’s also such beauty in having a record of things I’ve made and moments that have been captured into this digital scrapbook of social media. I’ve never felt married to one niche, but when I compile all my content together everything feels oddly cohesive and very true to me.
Your posts remind us that everyday life can feel picturesque and dreamy. Has it been uplifting to see the positive responses to your videos and the online community you’re building?
I get welled up just thinking about it! I’ve always dreamed of being creative for a living but never knew in what capacity, and in a small way I feel like I’m living that dream, which is thanks to people caring enough about my art. I’m so grateful for the reach of TikTok and its beautiful way of connecting us to others with the same interests and hobbies. I love the corner of the internet where I live that is full of creative homebodies, nostalgic lovers, and craft girlies. It’s so safe and comforting. To think that my art or small mundane moments can bring someone a sense of comfort or inspiration is such an honor. I’m quite introverted and spend a lot of time in my own bubble (I’ve truly protected my peace too hard), so seeing a community of creative enthusiasts joining me makes me feel so welcomed and understood. When someone responds to my videos saying they are cozy, inspired, or comforted it means everything. It makes me want to continue to open myself up to opportunities in content creation and making art for others because this is the fulfillment I’ve always hoped for. Summed up, very sappy, very grateful.
In January, your art was used in mini art vending machines as part of Austin Mini Art. How tight-knit is the Austin arts community?
Being a part of Austin Mini Art has been such an honor. I’m beyond grateful to be one of the featured artists, and it’s been so fun to see others celebrate art in such a fun interactive way. Art is truly everywhere in Austin, and there’s such an abundance of inspiration and creatives within steps of each other. The mission behind Austin Mini Art is to uplift artists and small businesses collectively, and that type of support and connection speaks volumes to the creative community in Austin.
What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
Share your work! I wish I had been more confident in putting myself out there sooner, instead of being inhibited by fear. If you’re proud of the work and have a desire to share then you should go for it. As someone who let the fear of being perceived take up way too much of my mental capacity, the possibility of what could come far outweighs standing still in fear. This is still something I work through, but when I think of all the people I’ve connected with and made art for, the reality of none of that coming to fruition if I hadn’t put myself out there makes me grateful that I took the chance.
This story first ran in Issue 39: The Digital Issue. Read more from the issue here
