Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Chelby Sallady can’t wait for the day when she sees her art creating the artistic vision for upcoming video games.
Sallady, 21, who grew up in Stockton, California but now lives in Annapolis, is confident of her goals because her grandfather, Carl V. Miller, was a popular California artist who left his work to her for inspiration.
“He was an amazing watercolor/pen and ink artist,” said Sallady, who plans to attend Towson University this fall. “He started practicing art in his 40’s and also developed really bad arthritis. But he kept painting.
“I also really loved his whimsical style,” she added. “He was definitely a huge inspiration and a large part of why my family supports my career as an artist.”
Sallady attended the River Oaks Charter school and Benjamin Holt College Preparatory Academy, both in Stockton. The family moved to Maryland in 2013 when her mom took a job training pilots to use flight software. Sallady earned her GED.
Even today her grandfather’s work is on display at the Goodwin Gallery, sponsored by the Stockton Art League in California. Sallady said that her grandfather would draw things for her and she would paint it in almost every time she would visit him.
“I practiced it a lot more in my middle school and high school years,” Sallady said of her drawing.
Even after her grandfather died, she said she kept her drive and has his paintings at her home. Still Sallady said she was hesitant about her decision to become an artist.
“It wasn’t until college that I officially chose art as my career path,” said Sallady, explaining that she now sees art as the path for her. “Before that, I had floated from the science field to the science field,” and looked at becoming a veterinarian or a Physical Therapist.
Currently, Sallady is working on a Transfer Studies Associate’s degree at the Anne Arundel Community College.
Unlike her grandfather, Sallady’s art style is mostly based in fantasy. She prefers this approach because she doesn’t have to stick to what is real, preferring to let her imagination take over.
Sallady said most of her time is now divided between school work and work so she has less time to act upon inspiration. She said her goal is to continue her training in the fall at Towson, where she wants to pursue a dual major in Illustration and Graphic Design.
One day Sallady said she wants to work for Blizzard Entertainment or Bungie as a concept artist on video games. Blizzard Entertainment is considered a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software. The label was established in 1994 and the company quickly became one of the most popular makers of computer games, including its most recent releases Overwatch, World of Warcraft ®: Warlords of DraenorTM.