Bio

Samara (Sam) Barks or Mixed Hues is a freelance illustrator, muralist, 3D artist, and mentor. Her art career has taken her all over, from her hometown of Detroit to Pittsburgh, Miami, Houston, and East Austin, which she now calls home for the last five years. Her illustration and fine art styles mix exaggerated realism with a graffiti feel. She creates work featuring people of color, specifically black people, in spaces that aren't likely to be seen or represented through her art. She's recently stepped into the public art arena to see more projects around Austin that showcase Black life and voices. She primarily works in watercolors and inks but does a fair amount of digital work. Recently, she's added spray paint to her arsenal, learning the tools of the trade and loving the journey. Initially, she created Mixed Hues to fill the genuine need to see more black people in two communities she's passionate about: art and roller derby. Since then, it has branched out into so much more and has come to encompass all of her passions. Now she makes art throughout Austin and gets opportunities to create the world she wants to see.