Today we’d like to introduce you to Dalyn Tam.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember—long before I could even spell my own name. One of my earliest memories is from pre-K, when my mom picked me up and gasped in surprise because I had finally drawn stick figures. Up until then, I’d refused to draw them—I always saw people as more than just a circle with some lines. I wanted to capture their full 2D-ness, even at that age. From there, things escalated: doodling on the backs of worksheets, drawing through detention, and generally prioritizing art over… well, just about everything else.
My first real painting happened in 8th grade in Mrs. Burns’ class—a blue teddy bear on a bold orange background. That moment lit a spark, but it wasn’t until 2013, during a rough chapter of life, that I truly leaned into painting. I spent what little money I had on paint and canvas and just started. I wasn’t good at it—not by any technical standard—but that wasn’t the point. Painting became a way to process emotions I didn’t have the words for. It felt messy and necessary—more like waking up than breathing, but still vital.
Then came the turning point: someone asked me for a custom piece. I shrugged and said, “Twenty bucks and a canvas.” That person, Sean, ended up owning over 27 of my pieces. His support helped me believe I might actually have something here. Not long after, Jason Barrett, owner of my favorite Amarillo coffee shop, invited me to sell my work at the local Bad Magik festival. I came home with only two of the 22 canvases I brought—and a totally new sense of direction.
That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a side hobby. I needed a name that felt like me. “Art by Dalyn” didn’t cut it. I’m sarcastic, cynical, and unapologetically real—and all my poet friends said the sloth was my spirit animal. “Sloth Art” was close, but not quite. I wanted something that captured both the bite and the softness of my work.
So Sardonic Sloth Art was born—a name that reflects not just my personality, but the raw, emotional heart behind everything I create.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been struggles, but somehow, things always find a way to fall into place. I don’t think the universe throws challenges at us just to watch us flail—those obstacles show up so we can learn something, grow through it, and come out stronger on the other side.
For me, the biggest hurdle has always been believing in myself. In the early years of developing my style, I couldn’t imagine anyone actually wanting to buy my art. And then… people did. That opened a new chapter of challenges—putting myself out there, finding events, growing beyond what I knew. Eventually, that meant leaving Amarillo—my comfort zone, my support system—and moving to Dallas to find a bigger pond. That leap wasn’t easy.
The truth is, challenges never really stop coming. They just shape-shift. But like Steve Pressfield says, “Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” I’ve learned to show up for my work—not for applause or money, but because the work itself matters. Pressfield also talks about the Principle of Priority: knowing the difference between what’s urgent and what’s truly important—and choosing to do what’s important first.
And for me, the most important thing has always been making art that’s real, raw, and mine.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work with both acrylic paint and digital media to create what I call Psychedelic Pop Art—a fusion of vivid emotion, bold imagery, and surreal storytelling. At its core, my work is about translating internal chaos into something visual and connective. It’s my way of saying, “Hey, it’s okay to feel this way—you’re not alone.”
Visually, I’m known for my use of bright, contrasting colors, strong linework, and otherworldly elements like multiple eyes or distorted forms—things that feel a little off but still deeply human. I lean into the strange to get to something honest.
What I’m most proud of is the emotional connection my art has built with others. When someone tells me a piece helped them see themselves or their life differently, that’s the real reward. It means the work did its job.
I think what sets me apart is my empathy. I’ve always been grounded but headstrong—someone who carves their own path and doesn’t really do “normal.” My art reflects that refusal to conform. It’s deeply personal, often raw, and always an extension of how I experience the world. Through it, I’ve not only found my voice—I’ve found a way to make others feel seen, too.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned on this journey is to trust myself—completely. Trust my gut, trust my instincts, and most importantly, trust that I’m meant to be doing exactly what I’m doing. There have been plenty of moments where doubt crept in, where the idea of dropping everything to “get a real job” seemed like the easier, safer option. But deep down, I’ve always known that this is my real job. Creating, expressing, connecting—this is why I’m here.
It took time to silence all the outside noise telling me what success should look like. Learning to tune that out and tune in to myself has been life-changing. Now, I know that when something doesn’t feel aligned, I don’t have to force it. And when something does feel right, I chase it with everything I’ve got.
Every piece I make, every moment I share through my art—it all comes from that place of self-trust. It’s not always easy, but it’s honest. And at the end of the day, I’d rather struggle being true to myself than succeed by pretending to be someone I’m not.
Pricing:
- Small Merchandise (stickers, buttons) $2-$3
- Medium merchandise (small prints, earrings, keychains, coloringbooks) $10-$15
- Journals, Lanyards, framed small prints ($20-$25)
- Large prints (depends on print style/backing) $125-$600
- Original Canvas $1,000-$4,000
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.sardonicslothart.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/sardonicsloth_art
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sardonicslothart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sardonicslothart
Image Credits
Photo Credits: Eric Espinosa, Film4Eyez
