Tylar Campbell Imagination Fund Application — StoneAge TC

Artist statement

Hello, I am Tylar Campbell, also known by my stage name StoneAge TC. I am a San Diego-based multimodal artist with a passion for 90's Hip-Hop and the ways in which coded messages were embedded in the music. Growing up in California, I was thrust into the system of child protective services (CPS) at the young age of 8 and exposed to numerous hardships that families face when simply trying to make a living. From this experience, I turned to art as a form of liberatory expression drawing on my steadfast grit, unwavering resilience, and the capacity to dream bigger in the face of adversity. My artistic journey began early, with pencil sketches filling blank pages. In high school, I discovered my voice, reciting poems over beats—a practice that led to local performances. Furthering my education at Stanford University, I expanded my artistic repertoire, blending acrylic paint, cardboard, and vinyl records.