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Sammy thrashLife
Born	Real name: Sam North November 4, 1985 Hometown: Sarasota, FL
Known for	Outsider art Neo-expressionism Blogging Borderline personality disorder Art therapy

Sammy thrashLife (born Sam North) is an American painter and writer, best known for his art and blog, chronicling his experiences with borderline personality disorder, his history with heroin addiction and recovery, and his involvement in the American punk rock scene.

thrashLife first began drawing and painting in late 2012 while at Tranquil Shores, an inpatient facility for the treatment of substance abuse and mental illness. His first exhibit was just months after his release from Tranquil Shores, in the lobby of a movie theater, the historic Sun-Ray Cinema of Jacksonville, FL. Since then, thrashLife has exhibited around the country, including his first gallery showing with Ettra in Delray Beach, FL. In 2015, his participation in Instinct Gallery's "The Meds I'm On" exhibit generated positive reviews and press coverage.

thrashLife's art is characterized by bright colors, "funny faces," and – as one journalist noted – "phrases and at times, paragraphs, of honesty ... raw accounts of his every day life; be it good, bad, or ugly." Visually, he's garnered comparisons to Jean-Michel Basquiat but the text written across his canvases more directly (and in great detail) addresses his issues with girls, love, sex, self-esteem, anxiety, and identity. In a biographical article for Folio Weekly, Janet Harper wrote, "Sam's openness with his art, and with perfect strangers, could be off-putting, the way he lets his guard down almost instantly and chats easily about the darkest parts of his life. He's open about his mental illness and drug addiction. About his issues with women and his need to be accepted and adored ... But Sam's brutal honesty, always with a dose of narcissism and boyish charm, makes it easy to be comfortable around him, and to trust him ...  It's a rare trait, and one that leaves an impact on almost everyone he meets. He gives so much of himself, both through his art and the short biographical stories he includes with each piece – which is exactly why it's selling."

A review of a 2015 show in Minneapolis similarly noted, "While displays fill the gallery, the hectic work of artist Sammy thrashLife steals the show. When walking into the gallery, the first image you see straight ahead on the back wall is a jumbled mess of color captioned with a commanding "HAVE SEX WITH AND/OR BUY ART FROM ME." After a light giggle from this order, you make your way to the piece and start reading the lighthearted fine print that lets you know that the aforementioned options are Sammy's only worth in this life. The dark, humorous piece, like many others he has on display, takes you on an introspective journey that leads you through Sammy's struggles with drugs, women, and depression—all of course presented with a special kind of dark humor that elicits simultaneous sadness and happiness. The piece features vibrant colors and characters that seem lifted from some darker, more anxious version of Adventure Time. All of Sammy's pieces in the show have this same laughable-but-sad style that creates a special kind of closeness between him and viewers. I wouldn't be surprised if I now know more about his life than some of his friends do."

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