This weekend, I’m thrilled to be participating in a sticker art festival, a celebration of one of my favorite creative outlets: sticker and wheatpaste art. Over the last few years, these two forms of street art have become central to my artistic journey—both as a medium of self-expression and as a way to connect with an incredible global community. In this post, I’m sharing how it all began, what I’ve discovered along the way, and why sticker art holds such a special place in my heart.
It All Started with O
When I first created my character O, someone suggested I turn her into a sticker. At the time, I had no idea how to make stickers or what to do with them. But I was curious and excited, so I gave it a shot. That one experiment opened a door I never expected. I quickly fell in love with the process—designing, printing, and peeling those first stickers filled me with joy.
What began as a small experiment became one of my favorite ways to share my art. Stickers are accessible, portable, and full of personality. They turn everyday surfaces into mini canvases and bring characters like O into the world in the most playful way.
Discovering the World of #StickerTrades
As I made more stickers, I stumbled into the world of #stickertrades. I had no idea such a vibrant, generous community existed until I started sharing my designs online. Soon enough, I was mailing stickers across the country—and then across the globe.
Through trading, I’ve met so many incredible artists. We exchange art, stories, and encouragement. These small pieces of sticky paper have led to real friendships, unexpected collaborations, and a deep sense of belonging. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t have to be large-scale or high-budget to have a powerful impact.
Being part of a sticker art festival lets me bring those online connections into the real world. These events are full of energy, shared ideas, and an overwhelming sense of support and creativity. Projects like Sticker Movie and the Sticker/Paste-Up Fest World Map show how far-reaching and inclusive this art form has become.
Wheatpaste: Where My Art Gets to Play
Wheatpasting is the next chapter of my street art story. If stickers are playful and collectible, wheatpaste art is bold and unfiltered. There’s something incredibly freeing about working large, pasting directly on a wall, and letting the piece interact with the environment around it.
It’s in this space that I feel most experimental. I don’t worry about perfection—I focus on expression. Wheatpasting invites color, texture, and movement into my process in ways that other forms of art don’t always allow. It’s where I give myself permission to be messy, loud, and unapologetically creative.
Articles like the one from UP Magazine really capture what makes wheatpaste art so powerful. It’s accessible, rebellious, and deeply personal.
Cities as Canvases, Community as Fuel
Sticker art and wheatpaste art both turn ordinary spaces into public galleries. Whether it’s a stop sign or an abandoned building, these forms invite people to pause, look, and maybe even smile. They bring color and character to the urban landscape.
This idea is beautifully expressed in an article by JAMM Gallery, which describes sticker art as “the unlikely street art hero.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s scrappy, sincere, and full of soul.
But what really fuels this world is the community behind it. The artists, the collectors, the curious passersby—it’s all connected. Every sticker traded or pasted is a little conversation with the world. And when that energy comes together at a sticker art festival, it’s electric. You can feel the creativity buzzing in the air.
An Invitation to Explore
If you’re new to this world, I encourage you to take a closer look the next time you’re walking through your city. You might just discover a piece of art that makes you think, laugh, or feel something unexpected.
And if you’re an artist thinking about diving in, do it. I started with no experience—just a character and a hunch—and now I can’t imagine my creative life without this community.
I’ll be sharing highlights from this weekend’s show on my Instagram, so come say hi or follow along. Thanks for being here and for letting me share a piece of this colorful, sticky, expressive world with you.
