Dream To Do: Sam Stucky

Sam is so funny, you guys, and he is a crazy good animator. We are so thankful to have met him through Taylor and had the opportunity to have him design our most recent release, the shake it tote. After you finish reading our interview with him about his dream (which is super genuine but also has the funniest touch of his personality) you should follow him on Instagram... he says funny stuff on there too. 

PARATIVE: Sam, tell us about your dream?

SAM: I’m always scheming and dreaming. Some days it’s all I do. Honing in on one specific goal is hard for me because I have so many of them.

I’d love to be a dad. I want to raise up a fleet of little Stucky’s who can be better than me at anything they choose to do. I’m also pursuing music. I’ve been writing an EP, playing intimate house shows here and there. But I also play the drums in a pop rock band that I promise you can’t not dance to. I’d like to have a farm on some rolling hills. Create a self-sustaining lifestyle for my family where my kids can milk cows instead of take selfies (or at least take selfies while riding like a goat or something). I’m an animator by trade. It’s what I went to school for and it’s what I do full time now on a freelance basis. I love telling stories through motion. Drawing little characters and making them wiggle and jiggle is my jam, and seeing people respond with joy makes me feel all warm inside.

All of these dreams are cooking. Some are on the back burner, and some have been slow roasting for the past few years. **Cooking up dreams in the crock pot. But I guess what I’m really after is freedom. I want to be free enough to explore new avenues. C.S. Lewis said you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. Each of my steps are to create a lifestyle where that rings true.

PARATIVE: Having a dream to run a farm isn't a typical dream you often hear from a Chicagoan. Do you have any past ties or trips that draw you to country living?

SAM: I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, land of the rolling Bluegrass. I didn't grow up on a large plot of land, but something about that lifestyle attracts me. My dad spent his childhood working on a Christmas tree farm and has always been an avid outdoorsman. My mom grew up on a farm riding horses and being chased by chickens. After living in Chicago for four years I've realized how dependent we are on others to provide our daily needs. I wonder what it would be like to live almost fully self-sustainably.

PARATIVE: What action steps have you taken to achieve your dream?

SAM: Freelancing helps me pursue my dreams BIG TIME. It’s the biggest blessing. Even the word ‘freelance’ has the word ‘free’ in it. As a contractor I have more say in when and what I work on. Being able to choose the work I do now helps me choose the future I’ll do later. When it comes to music, my EP is a big step for me. I’m working with my good producer friend, Caleb Harris, here in Chicago. His studio is a breeding ground for good ideas and he’s helping me find my sound as a solo artist.

Also, I fell in love with a girl. Her name is Taybaybay but you can just call her Taybaybay. Her dream is to run a bed and breakfast so I keep telling her to run it out of my farmhouse. She said she’d get back to me on that so I’ll keep you updated. In all seriousness, it’s amazing how quickly you can run when the person you’re running with has the same destination.

PARATIVE: What does your dream look like in 5-10 years?

SAM: In 10 years I’d love to spend my time evenly between creating music and animation. My goal is to continue to create story driven animations but on a larger scale. Animation is such a powerful medium and I’d love to use it to support organizations who are moving the world forward. With music I imagine myself having a personal studio in the barn above the cows. Makin dank beats over that dank manure.

PARATIVE: What are some of your favorite organizations that you would like to support in the future? We love hearing what others are passionate about.

SAM: There are a few organizations I'm drawn to, especially in my hometown. There is a non-profit called Seedleaf that works to make growing local food easy and accessible. Any sort of inner city farming initiatives interest me. But much like everyone else I'm also inspired by people like Elon Musk who are breaking ground in sustainability.

PARATIVE: Thanks so much, Sam! We will be on the lookout for some of your farmhouse selfies on goats.