These days, you can throw a rock up in the air in the riverwards and randomly hit an artist (or at least someone claiming to be). Just a short time ago though, that was not a word thrown around so loosely in the neighborhood. That is why I get such gratification out of promoting an artist who was born and raised here. It is even more gratifying when that artist is one of my best friends and family members.

Sean Gallagher is proud to be born and raised working class. He comes from a family of Union workers: truck drivers, roofers, painters, and stevedores.  He even worked as a Union roofer himself for a while. Sean is blue-collar through-and-through, and as a human being, he considers himself to be “Union made”.  His work ethic, his love for a job well-done with a personal touch; these traits reflect his working class upbringing. The only problem is that a long time ago, Sean realized that he was destined for something else. Although he lives in reverence of his family and neighbors, Sean Gallagher knew that since he was a kid, a life of art was calling him.

Sean’s love of art started where it starts for many kids growing up in the city – with graffiti. Sean and his friends would hang out at the Tot Lot (on Dauphin Street between Cedar and Gaul) or climb up onto the roof of the Jacob Holtz factory (now 2424 Studios on York Street) and marvel at the walls covered in graffiti.

“All those bright colors, the letters, those big bright pieces you could see on the street, it communicated with me like nothing else ever did,” Gallagher explained, “I played sports and did other things, but nothing grabbed my attention like graffiti. It just amazed me to see people using their art like this to gain credibility and respect they probably didn’t find at home.”

Sean sees graffiti and vandalism as two different things. According to him, one is just destruction of people’s property, but the other takes time, love, and craftsmanship. That love of art and craftsmanship is what steered him on the path to where he is now. That’s not to say that it has been an easy path. We all have our problems and tragedies, but not everyone’s tragedies become national news.

Most of you reading this will remember that fateful day five years ago when Sean’s little sister Lacey was killed in a car accident after her prom. The story caught both local and national press, but the press did not delve into the details of how this tragedy affected Lacey’s family. To Sean, Lacey isn’t a picture on the front page or a sound bite on the five o’clock news. Lacey was his little sister.

“Five years ago, when Lacey passed, I just gave up,” Sean admitted. He never stopped making art. Sean used it to work through his pain. He produced work for several art shows, but he was struggling with his grief.

Amazingly, it was Sean’s love of graffiti that eventually helped open his eyes to the potential of words and letters on walls. Steve Powers, renowned New York and Philly graffiti artist known as ESPO, received a commission to do an extensive mural project on 50 buildings along the Frankford El Route. The project is entitled “A Love Letter To You”. The murals varied from wall to wall, and they explore the complications and prizes that come with love and relationships. The Love Letter project was funded by the Pew Charitable Trust. An accompanying book (with photos by Adam Wallacavage and Zoe Strauss) was also sold to showcase the project.

Projects like this amazed Sean. His love for writing on walls had brought him back to life, artistically. “Steve’s work made me realize that this is a great way to communicate with people,” Sean said.

In 2010, Sean was offered a job by Adam Porter, owner of the MilkCrate Café on Girard Avenue. MilkCrate is a combined coffee shop and record store. Sean does work writing the text for MilkCrate’s menus and signage. He also painted a huge version of the logo on the exterior wall. This job was the springboard to a whole new direction in Sean Gallagher’s career as an artist. Sean speaks highly of Adam and the MilkCrate, saying, “That was the first time I realized that I could actually make a living doing this.”

Lately, Sean has been making a strong effort to brand his work under the moniker “Working Class Creative”. He has combined his love of painting words with a blue-collar work ethic and focused it in a hyper-productive way. Since the Milk Crate job, Sean has been getting steady work in Philadelphia and beyond.

Sean does a lot of work for Four Corners Management, a company that owns and runs several bars in Philly, such as Union Transfer (located at 1026 Spring Garden Street), one of the city’s newest music venues. Gallagher’s work can be seen throughout the venue on the walls and on all the signage. He even painted the lettering on the wall outside. It must have been a thrill to be back up on that roof, like when he was a kid – but this time doing it for hire.

Local businesses are getting wind of Sean’s work, because he is suddenly being hired all over town to paint murals and handmade signage. Last summer, Gallagher did a huge mural for the Arrow Swim Club. Recently, he has done work for Sketch Burgers and an installation of signs at Premier League (2nd & Girard). Last month, Sean had signs hanging in Slingluff Gallery’s benefit show for Penn Treaty Park. His work is also taking him outside Philly. Sean will soon be working on a mural in a classy seafood restaurant in New York called Crave Ceviche.

Currently, Sean is working on a lot of mural work for the soon-to-be-reopened legendary Philly jazz spot Ortlieb’s (another Four Corners venue) in Northern Liberties. Aside from his work for bigger, commercial clients Sean has also been taking more personal jobs, like painting transoms for neighbors. This is heart-warming to me, because our grandfather used to make transoms for neighbors out of stained glass.

Sean Gallagher feels blessed to be following his dream. In a recent mural at 11th & Spring Garden, you can see how Sean has expressed his gratitude for the path life has drawn out for him. He hopes to use all of his recent work and exposure to catch a few more dream projects.

“I’d like to find funding for gallery or storefront space in the area to set up shop – some place where I can work and do affordable handmade signs for local businesses,” said Gallagher. “I’d also like do a project where I work on a lot of those Fishtown address plaques.”

Another dream endeavor that is near and dear to Sean’s heart is a mural project that would involve painting elaborate decorative “buckle up” messages across the tunnels in the city (like at Lehigh & Aramingo, for instance). The project would be, of course, dedicated to his sister Lacey. Sean has been working on bringing this project to life for several months now.

Sean studies up on sign and mural painting every day. He throws himself into books and explores every tool of the trade that he can get his hands on. Recently, he even joined the Pre-Vinylite Society, a national network of handmade sign painters. His love of art takes a back seat only to his love of family. Eight months ago, he got engaged to his lady Kristin. He loves their son Kieran and daughter Lacey (who they named after Sean’s sister) more than life itself.

“I use my family as motivation, my fiancée Kristin and our kids Kieran and Lacey are an inspiration to get up and get going every morning,” Sean said.  “At the end of the day, I consider myself to be one of the luckiest guys in the world. I’m so fortunate to have a great fiancée who supports me wholeheartedly, 2 brilliant children, and am making a living at something I truly love to do. Please don’t wake me; I don’t want this dream to end.”

Most weeks, Sean works seven days, ten to twelve hours a day. Even with this extra gift, he stays humble, embodying all of the traits of a working class artist. Both Fishtown and Philadelphia are glad to have him as our own.

To see more of Sean’s work, check out his constantly-updated photostream: www.flickr.com/photos/workingclasscreative/. You can e-mail him at: theseang@gmail.com.