For Allen Pryor, selling his original artwork was the obvious way to earn money to pay for college. Pryor had his first opportunity to showcase his art at The Sandwich Spot located at 2108 11th Ave.

As an art major at Sacramento City College since last spring, Pryor said that he has tried to find galleries and other such places to feature his art, but that many of them charge prior to displaying pieces. He added that he is blessed that his art is featured at The Sandwich Spot.

“It really gives me the opportunity to get my work out there,” Pryor said. “Everything helps. This is more than a hobby.”

Courtney Florian, manager and co-owner of The Sandwich Spot, said the shop is a place for artists to show their work for free.

“My sister and co-owner Jaime Silva have always been into art and the art community, and (we) showcase college art with no charge and no gratuity,” Florian said. “We ask only that artists bring in their beforehand for approval and we switch our artists out every six weeks,” Florian said.

“Everybody loves (Pryor’s) art,” Florian added. “It’s fun to look at, especially the 3D pieces. Customers spend time reading all of the writing in some of his pieces. He has great ideas.”

Pryor will have his original paintings up until the end of August.

“I’ve earned about $55 in total for commissioned work of prints and drawings,” Pryor said. “I have yet to sell an original painting.”

Pryor said his works go to paying for what any college student has to worry about – tuition and gasoline.

“Before I started focusing on college, I had to pay for my truck insurance,” Pryor said. “It has only been two years since I tried to save for college.”

Pryor said the Department of Rehabilitation and Nasco, an art supplier, pays for much of his tuition and book and work supplies, but that he still has to pay for necessities.

“(Art) wasn’t really an idea that just occurred to me. It was more of a lifestyle process,” Pryor said, adding that he grew up with an artistic family and developed basic skills from therapy sessions.

He first turned to drawing as a therapeutic practice to ease his symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome – it helped Pryor by focusing his attention and acting as an outlet for his thoughts.

“Art became my life. It was the one thing I could get into and do well at and not be hindered,” Pryor said. “Drawing is habitual, and I’m always carrying around a sketchbook. You never know when a moment of inspiration will hit.”

His mother, who is also an artist, encouraged him to learn new ways to make art.

She was also the one who suggested he sell it, when he was younger, helping out at her county fair booth. Pryor started selling his art when his was a kid helping out at his mom’s art and jewelry booths. Once he got to college, he decided the money should go to paying for school.

Pryor said he would like to make art his career by painting for a living. He said he is working on taking a graphic design, class so that he can branch out into other types of art.

Pryor added that he works immediately on any request he receives, but that as an artist, he has to become known in the world.

In addition to the Sandwich Spot, Pryor said he has many pieces displayed on the websites DeviantArt and Ovation TV. His pages showcase many of his drawings and paintings.

Pryor said his prints sell at $3, and paintings can go anywhere from $20 and up. Prices are always negotiable, he added.

“Small prints are what sell because they aren’t expensive,” Pryor said, “and competition is fierce.”

Limitations Pryor said he faces include costs of supplies, less willingness to buy art these days and digital art because of the techniques it offers, such as Photoshop.

“So many people want art for free,” Pryor said. “They get a preconceived idea that art is free because people do it as a hobby. You could spend $100 on materials, like paints and a canvas, and then you realize you haven’t sold that piece.”

Even though the market for art is fluctuating, Pryor said he will always create art.

“(A work) could take me three hours, or it could take me three minutes,” Pryor said. “But art is known for the things that make people happy and draw people in. It is a reflection of the human existence.”

Pryor dabbles in a little bit of everything, from painting to drawing to working on a way to turn patching plaster into masks.

He also works on what he said his friend calls Zen drawing, in which an artist draws multiple images on one paper that express what the artist is feeling at that given moment. Pryor said he favors colored pencils and regular drawing pencils. Shape Colonies (Image by: Allen Pryor)

Pryor said this is what is mostly featured at the Sandwich Spot, although his prints are what sell the most. Pryor added that he does have others of a more surreal style, but Zen drawing allows for a lot of creativity.

Pryor said his favorite piece is Grape City, the purple and green colors reminding him of Napa Valley. Allen Pryor-Grape City (Image by: Elizabeth Orfin)

“The real magic happens where creativity happens,” Pryor said. “The creative process is the space between thoughts, and that is where art comes from. Everyone can enjoy a piece differently.”

“When you are trying to make a living as an artist and not just a hobby, it becomes a little more difficult. You have to put yourself out there,” Pryor said.