-ABOUT ME-

Hi everyone, my name is Sebastian J. Smith. I am an artist, animator, illustrator, and cosplayer with a passion for creativity and storytelling. I live in Dapto, New South Wales, and have spent my life in the Wollongong region with my family and friends. I attended local schools, including Dapto Public School and Kanahooka High School, where I received multiple awards in Visual Arts.

 

After graduating from Year 12, I studied at North Wollongong TAFE, where I completed a Diploma in Screen & Media over two years. During my time at TAFE, I became deeply involved in the hobby of cosplay. Although I first participated in cosplay at Animania Sydney in 2007, I began building my reputation within the cosplay community at Supanova Sydney in 2010. Over the years, I have portrayed characters from popular franchises such as Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, One Piece, Pokémon, and Disney.

 

2010–2019 After completing my Diploma in Screen & Media, I went on to study Visual Arts at West Wollongong TAFE in 2012. In 2013, I took a year-long hiatus to focus on my artistic development and personal growth. During this time, I began volunteering at Art Arena Gallery Inc., Wollongong’s longest-running community gallery, where I participated in numerous exhibitions and events. My first solo exhibition, “Fantasía (The Art of Sebastian J. Smith),” showcased a collection of graphic design works, caricatures, pastel artworks, and cosplay costumes. It was a rewarding experience and a successful introduction to exhibiting my work professionally.

 

In 2015, I won first place in the 13+ Cosplay Competition at Comic Gong in Wollongong. That same year, I presented my second solo exhibition, “Ultimo (The Art of Sebastian J. Smith),” which featured both previous and newly created artworks. In 2016, I once again achieved first place, this time in the 18+ Cosplay Competition at Comic Gong. During this period, I was also studying at the Digital Business Hub in Wollongong.

 

In 2018, I exhibited a collection of my cosplay costumes at the Wollongong Art Gallery as part of Comic Gong. The exhibition, titled “Cosplay by Sebastian J. Smith,” celebrated my passion for costume design and character creation.

 

2020–2025 From 2020 to 2025, I continued working on a variety of creative projects, exhibiting artwork, completing commissioned pieces, and attending pop-culture conventions and community events.

 

During this time, I also dedicated myself to long-term storytelling projects, further expanding my skills as both an artist and writer.