Using a contrasting color palette and a consistent work ethic, 20-year-old Tate Bladon is committed to creating. Born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Dallas, Bladon came to New Orleans as a swimmer for Loyola and stayed for two years as a design major. Now, he is dedicated full-time to creating art—art that he says is an honest extension of himself.
Bladon’s life has always been steeped in art; he has been drawing and painting since he can remember. His constant urge to create was motivated by his artistic family.
“My grandma was an art history teacher,” Bladon said. “Her sister taught printmaking; my grandpa had a little art studio.”
Bladon’s home in Dallas is adorned with big, colorful abstract paintings his parents have collected—a style that, he said, influenced his own.
“In high school, I had a project on an art museum,” Bladon said. “It was during COVID, so I couldn’t go to one. I just walked around my house, taking pictures of my family’s art.”
Bladon recalled his grandmother hanging up a sketch he had done of one of her vases.
“That was one of my earliest memories when I thought, ‘Oh, shit, I’m kind of good at this,’” Bladon said. “The sketch wasn’t even finished.”
In high school, Bladon dedicated his time and resources to absorbing techniques and artists.
“I picked up oil painting and acrylics,” he said. “I started studying artists that influenced me stylistically, like Picasso, Basquiat, Haring, and Francis Bacon.”
Enamored by New Orleans’ colors, public art scene, and cultural immersion, Bladon initially intended to major in studio art—but the program was no longer offered by the time he enrolled at Loyola. Turning to graphic design taught him the type of art he was meant to pursue. Bladon said he has a “hands-on and physical” approach to art, which was missing from the design program.
“I learned a lot through the program,” Bladon said. “I learned what I don’t like. I learned what I do like—like typography and experimenting with textures. I wouldn’t have discovered that without certain aspects of the program.”
The design program’s critiques were another aspect Bladon valued.
“You learn a lot from the negative but real constructive criticism people give,” he said. “But there are certain limits on what you can do with assignments. I don’t like that. I like pushing boundaries.”
According to Bladon, he decided to push his boundaries toward his goals and new responsibilities.
“Not to say I can’t ever go back to school, but I’m glad I am where I am now,” he said. “If I had gotten my degree two years later, I would’ve still been where I am now. I would’ve still wanted to paint for a living. I’m trying to get ahead.”
Bladon’s urgency for “good worries” offers a different perspective on his life.
“A few months ago, my worries were passing a class and getting work done. But now, I have to make stickers, buy canvases and paint, and create. I hope that five, ten years from now, my worries are still good worries.”
To push through the fear of new worries, Bladon was encouraged by his girlfriend, a design student who saw his talent and dedication.
“I needed a push—someone in my corner who wasn’t in my family,” he said. “Seeing someone else take in your work, seeing how it’s made, and being so close to you… there was nobody like that before. Someone I could just bounce things off of.”
However, the decision to step away from athletics and academics was not easy, despite the support.
“I loved swimming—loved it,” Bladon said. “All my friends, everyone I knew, was a swimmer. I thought my coach would be pissed at me forever, but he wasn’t.”
The structure swimming once provided is now replaced by Bladon’s new expectations. According to him, his fundamental goal is to keep painting and inspire others to create. “That’s the goal,” he said. “Exposing people to art, even at the most basic level. Whether it’s with graffiti, stickers, or more—it’s about pushing the paintings, the works you want out. I think it’s about getting addicted to that process, to creating. And if there’s success to be found, it’ll follow.”
Success is also being redefined as Bladon begins selling his art.
“Success is freedom,” he said. “Freedom from dread. In a material sense, money and exposure. The wants, though, are galleries, museums, collectors, historians. […] To be in art history books. To become a household name. That’s a crazy end goal. But we don’t have that long. I’m already 20. You only have so long to create.”
To lead him to success, Bladon spends multiple nights a week selling his art at the French Market, where he finds himself redefining his perception of his work.
“It’s hard now,” Bladon said. “Before, it was painting for me—what I love to look at. But people aren’t there to just buy a painting; they’re there to buy an experience and a connection. Putting that in front of people, seeing what they gravitate towards—it makes things so different.”
His authenticity lies in his inspiration and constant movement. Bladon keeps inspirations in front of him at all times, gravitating toward high-contrast, figurative, and gestural work. “I am semi-color-blind,” he said. “Most people see a broader range of colors; mine is red, blue, green, and purple. When colors are a little similar, it’s hard to differentiate between them. That’s why I work with strongly contrasting colors.”
The French Market hosts Bladon’s art stand multiple nights a week. “Every day is a mystery,” Bladon said. “It’s a gamble. It’s anxiety-inducing, but I also love it. I do miss the structure, but the freedom is so important to me.”
His “pen on page” and “no sketch” mentality, inspired by Jackson Pollock and Keith Haring, pushed him to keep producing work.
“My ultimate goal is to inspire others,” Bladon said. “I see other artists, and I’m inspired by their colors, techniques, and form. That’s my only goal. If I’ve inspired one person, then I’m successful.”
Bladon also offered advice to those who are looking to discover and explore the limits of their own creativity.
“Don’t be scared of a blank canvas. I feel like a lot of people think they’re creative, but they see a space and panic,” he said. “I think a blank canvas is one of the best things ever. Don’t be scared of jumping into something when there are literally no consequences. What’s going to happen if you put paint on canvas? Nothing—except now there’s more art in the world. And that’s great.”
Sorry it’s so long Matthew– What’d you think!