SaeMay

To Build an Animal

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 22:21:00 +0000

My solo show "There Are Too Many" opens this Thursday at CORE Gallery!

I've been posting progress shots steadily over on my instagram page, but wanted to do a round up here. Scroll down for a summary progress sequence of a few pieces from the show, followed by a link of the finished work.

Very VERY happy with how the vision of all these came forth!

"Borrego Backslide"

"Steller's Slip"

"Sumatra Shear"

"Panthera Passing"

"Pika Peril"

"Rhino Rapine"

The New Mexico Journals - The Earthships, and the End is the Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 22:20:00 +0000

NM Journal 5.20.16

Moonset this morn and moonrise tonite from the airport. In between I said farewell to my sweet dome then went to see the Earthships. So neat to see - especially the curvilinear design and recycled bottle patterns.

Hello Earthships

Then lunch was a return to Teseque village market where I had the most incredible chile relleno. I almost wanted to stay and sip the afternoon, but I also wanted to see the Tent Rocks.

I made it, rushed but enjoyed a good hike and saw some magical scenery. I almost walked over to the second hike (box canyon) but didn't think I had time. So I better back to ABQ to turn in my red dusted car and get to the airport only to discover at check in that my flight was delayed. I'd make my connection they said. Hmm.

Chilling and lounging at the airport was nice though. It's been a damn good trip. I've got anxiety about re-entry though - given the dreams the past 3 morns in a row. This morning was CoCA - that so much had happened while I was away that I was lost. (A giant art playground?) I've consistently woken at 4ish AM, lain awake for an hour then fallen back asleep only to have these dreams. Very strange to have such strong emotional dreams thrice in a row. I've never felt such a contrast of vacation to "real life" as I have at the end of this journey.

What does it all mean? What does any of it mean?

The New Mexico Journals - Taos

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 22:08:00 +0000

NM journal 5.19.16

I lay in bed this morn, feeling slow and restful and began to see figures in the mottled dome ceiling. A native woman with a bird sitting up in her hair with a warm smile, hugging an oversized anatomical heart. A young woman with her hair up in a bun, looking upwards and a circle over her heart. I'm in no hurry to head out to play tourist. Yoga and a tub soak and my yogurt and fruit. But I'm not even hungry yet so may drift awhile longer. Why not? It is vacation after all.

Who would have guessed - Turkish Coffee in Taos!

...
Tonite i watched the light fade from the sky and reflected on the past week. This coming to end of vacation. Of magical "away". The draw of mountains and the promises they make.

...
From sunset to moonset. The moon so bright as it sank to the horizon that it lit up a triangle above the door of the dome. Outside the mountains silhouetted with the glow of the coming dawn.

I woke with anxiety about going back. Of vacation coming to an end and "real" life commencing. This is my real life. Me, on my own. I can, and have been taking care of myself. I could continue. Or I could make a drastic choice of change.

The walls here are a foot thick. I don't want to leave. But I must. I also must try to get a few more hours of sleep...

The New Mexico Journals - Meow Wolf and Multidimensional Parallels, or Travel to Taos

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 21:59:00 +0000

NM journal 5.18.16

Farewell lovely Santa Fe Casita

A facebook comment reminded me of why I feel guilt every time I take a vacation. No matter how well I prep for it, no matter how much I run ragged prior. Not a nice thing to wake up to. Breathe and let it go dear. Breathe and let it go.
...

Arrival Greeter at Meow Wolf

House of Eternal Return. About the power of creation. And the bonds of family. And multidimensional parallels. Discovery and play - all the adults who were playing. Elders even. The sense of joy and wonder prevalent.

Through the portal...

Loved seeing the plans and drawings at the end!

***

Then, Taos. Of coming around a bend and into view of the Rio Grande Gorge. Of my Airbnb dome. Of driving around the town and closing a grocery store rather than going out. Of that great big bridge. And stopping by the brewery to pick up a growler since the grocery store sold none, of getting tipsy on beer and snacks in the dome. Of relaxing. More so than previous on this vacation. Of now, in the moonlight feeling unable to settle in despite earlier feelings. Energy and the moonlight.

Taos Mesa Brewing

Evening in the dome.

The New Mexico Journals - Santa Fe Hills

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 21:46:00 +0000

NM Journal 5.17.16

"Courage" by Retha Walden Gambaro

All the promise of a full day ahead. I slept until my 'normal' time for the first time since this journey began. Gentle yoga and a hot shower - Finally! (Yesterday the gas had been off due to utility work in the street) but oddly even with all that I'm quite sleepy. Maybe the delay for caffeine - my body started getting used to 6:30 am breakfast? Crazy!

International Folk Arts Museum - I arrived in time for a docent tour (which I laughed at how little she knew of the exhibits aside from the permanent collection) but the value in hearing the story of the Alexander Girard collection - meticulous!

My favorite exhibit at the Folk Museum - Flamenco!

Them skirts are HEAVY!

Note to self - look for this score...

...

And sometimes you end up exactly where you need to be. After soaking at ten thousand waves high up in the mountains (per recommendation) I had dinner with my host family. Dinner being a loose term - it had gotten late enough we just had art and conversation and snacks and salad. Ok - all that WAS dinner - a filling and satisfying one with the conversation and kid sillies with Evie while Christina cooked. After Evie tuckered out we talked art and relationships and the challenges and joys of motherhood. I missed Andy and all of our glowing potential. Apparently I'm good with kids because I'm honest with them. No BS. I'm straight up. I guess I always have been. Kids are just less experienced people, more prone to giggles as well as tantrums. (Evie had a little meltdown there at the end after her milk mustache and milk beard shenanigans.)

We talked of creativity - and how adaptable kids are, and how really it can be whatever we wish it to be (late nights, cheese and milk mustaches for dinner) as long as there is safety and consistency, nothing else really matters.

(Pretty much sums it up for any of us...)
...

The New Mexico Journals - Canyon Road, Santa Fe

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 19:43:00 +0000

NM Journal 5.16.16

Morning view

Barely back onto the grid and online and can feel the needs of others pressing in. Take a deep breath, remember you are still on a much needed vacation. Maybe go back offline!

Santa Fe, NM

"Adelitas" as an underpainting

1st gallery - with Adam the retired barber who paints reenactment sand John who was working on an underpainting for an encaustic artist working on a series of the Adelitas. Recommended to visit the Loretto chapel to see the stairs and Meow Wolf.

"Sweet Bootleg Magic" by Patricia Aaron - Encaustic! At Globe Gallery

"Horse" by Gina Freschet at Globe Gallery

"Desert Walker" by Andrea Broyles

...
I walked and wandered so much that I feel like I have soaked Santa Fe into my skin. I purchased an orange tunic from the Tibetan project. I watched sculptures twirl in the wind. I visited Loretto and sketched a small part of the ceiling. I got lost and had to use gps to figure out that I had way overshot the tiny street I should have turned on to walk back to the casita. I had dinner at The Shed and my gums are still on fire. Delicious (but Tesuque Village Market still wins for me). I turned down a second margarita (whoa) because I wish to return and paint.

Santa Kilim!

Loretto Chapel Mystery Staircase

How I only brought home two I can't imagine...

Pure joy of seeing so many John Nieto paintings in one place!

An outdoor painting studio.

Over a shop doorway...

Temporary Casita home.

The New Mexico Journals - Ghost Ranch Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 19:06:00 +0000

NM journal 5.15.16

Early morn bustle. Last day hustle. Breakfast of warm smiles and the urge to just linger and chat over cups of coffee. Big group photo. Closing remarks from our organizer Erin. Then into Orly's class.

One of Orly's journals, along with found bits of beauty.

I hadn't come with expectations - I wasn't familiar with her work. But oh man. Powerhouse of simplicity and connectivity and collaboration. Her style organic, natural and cyclical. Of transformations and the beauty in a tumbleweed, a bird nest. The concept to be like a bird in creativity. One piece at a time, woven into one thing of beauty. The journal as a built nest. Such a simple concept but I found myself at peace in creation for the first time the whole retreat. This thing and that thing and that color and this line - kind of like Flora's color craving but for everything. To let go of any plan. To intentionally only focus on piece by piece.

My classmates watching our quilt.

The storm hit, complete with thunder and lightening. Made for a very muddy and wet departure.

Farewell, Pedernal.

Farewell, Ghost Ranch. Until next time.

...

It is 2am (in Santa Fe) - I awoke to the coyotes in an uproar chorus. Or was it imagined?

I had fallen asleep thinking of Orly's owl pellets. The gut reaction of how at first I did not wish to, mixed with a secret delight. The strong, earthy tea-like scent once it was opened. Finding the skull evidence of 3 tiny rodent creatures. Taking the strong bones (thighs?) and letting the rest go to the spot I had gravitated to yesterday in Flora's class. How I took those tiny strong bones, sewed them up into a tea sachet to tuck it all into a roll to create a bone button for the journal we had been making.

Our collective piece, blowing in the wind.

My use of the long held little yellow book cover "Ventriloquism Self Taught" in the quilt piece that eventually we stitched all together into the beautiful piecework that blew in the wind, then was scattered between us. Someone will make something beautiful of it I'm certain.

My table earlier in the day with journal cover, color craving sketch, and "Ventriloquism Self Taught"

Of driving back tonite with Bianca who we discovered our mutual Seattle based location earlier and talking and reflecting then finding dinner. Of the kindness of my host here in Santa Fe, Christina. And the shyness of her daughter Evie. (Evelyn Lemon because she liked those words together. And their dog named Sarah.)
How richly perfect Santa Fe feels.

The New Mexico Journals - Ghost Ranch Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 18:56:00 +0000

NM journals 5.14.16

Today was Flora. And a real morning hike up to "Kitchen Mesa" past the dinosaur quarry, over the ridge and into a desert valley of dreams. High raven and rock walls. Silence and peace. I felt so grounded in that perfect morning.

Flora's beginning with movement and self love and giving thanks - all the gratitude for having gotten here, arrived whole and sound in this moment. The walking mediation at 1/4 speed - feeling the bones of the feet. Then looking outwards to hear the stream and feel the wind and the sun. Then to each other. Deep hugs and smiles. The 'have each other's back' exercise. And the gratitude. To listen, then to share.

Sketching quick studies in the landscape reminded me of simplicity. Of the pleasure of seeing. Then turning that into simple lines in paint on bristol. Color studies she called 'color cravings" - what am I craving to be next to this color or that.

My work in progress

Karen Wu's hands

Flora's works in progress

Working the paintings into sheets of watercolor paper was actually wonderful. I liked it more than her typical canvas. Oh the ease and possibility!

80% exercise - take a color and cover over 80%. Yes yes!

End of day after the storm turned the sky purple and the art vendor sale was done we packed and prepped for the morrow, Karen fell asleep early so I nestled in and perused all the lovely pictures. This place. THIS PLACE! There is indeed magic here. So similar to Borrego but yet not. My roommate Karen found a quote from Ansel Adams that summed it up well. The expanse of sky. The terrain. The arms of the peaks. The macro and the micro and all in between.

Temporary home at Coral Block 16

The New Mexico Journals - Ghost Ranch Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 18:51:00 +0000

New Mexico Journal 5.13.16

Class with Misty Mawn today was a practice or realization for me in speeding up and letting go. As in I have a hard time getting loose. An assignment to create 8 mini loose portrait studies in 30 mins and I only made 2 and a half. But maybe it's ok because I'm happy with them. Throughout the day I filled in more. Another exercise in composition study I enjoyed conceptually but couldn't get any of my drawings to flow. I liked the process of it - gathering source images and basing loosely to sketch out a few ideas before honing in on the painting. Put the giant sketchbook to good use darling.

I felt distant and introverted in an unsatisfactory way today. All the bustle all the social - I just yearned to go for a walk. After class, before dinner I walked the labyrinth. Things revealed seemingly in the moment. When I reached the center and admired the tokens there (a slide tied to a white rock, coins and trinkets) I faced the peak and took a deep breath. And then the windchill chimed. And it wasn't until leaving that I gazed back at it all and saw the dead ocotillo standing opposite of me across the labyrinth. It felt symbolic.

Post dinner an invitation to find a beer and watch the sunset seemed a tempting adventure. We caused a traffic jam in Abiquiu (4 cars) scoping Georgia's house. Saw the church and the sad neon. Beer was not found - the gas station closed at 7pm. But the sunset at the lake was a moment of water lapping calm.

El Pinon, Abiqique

The New Mexico Journals - Ghost Ranch Day 1 & 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 18:45:00 +0000

Ghost Ranch.

The arrival to Georgia's land literally made me nearly run the car off the road - it was so stunning. So imagined. So perfect in the slow rise after the turnoff to green valley rock mountain.

And here. With the Adobe and the birds and Georgia's mountain turning to purple and indigo in the distance.

Ghost House

Today was a gentle immersion into art play with Katie Kendrick's class - like sinking into a bath. An exercise in self portraiture without looking but by touch and feel of the face. Allowing the inner kinder to play. Quite enjoyed it. Then free form sketch with the Lyra pencil - just shapes from reference material whatever we were drawn to. Then layers of paint; blending and layers.

The best though, and much anticipated was the horseback ride out to Georgia O'Keefe's house - an island of private property fenced off, surrounded by Ghost Ranch lands. Now owned by the museum but seldom entered. And seeing her lavender hills and finding them not so large as they appear in the paintings.

Horse wrangler & trail guide Jeff

My horse was hilariously grumpy - Socks - and he couldn't be bothered. We trailed along behind the group at a slow lope except for an occasional break into trot when he decided he wanted to catch up. The strange nostalgia of being on a horse again. The creak of the saddle, the smell, the feel of his breathing beneath. But mostly the ride itself - being out in the country in the quiet. Getting to go to a place not really accessible otherwise.

Rancho de los Burros - Georgia's house, with Pedernal in the distance

Sunset riders with Pedernal

And let's not forget the mountain bluebird - the one that landed right next to me after breakfast. Curious and unconcerned by me.

The Art House at dusk

The New Mexico Journals - the Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 28 May 2016 18:37:00 +0000

On May 11th through 20th, I took a trip. The beginning of this trip actually has its roots in 2015. My birthday last year was filled with a heartbreak so profound that I wasn't sure I would recover. But one thing I DID do is to declare that I could go anywhere and do anything I wished for my next birthday.

I chose Ghost Ranch, New Mexico - the heart-home of my very first art love, Georgia O'Keefe.

Or shall I saw, Ghost Ranch chose me. A mere two days after I had made my decision to go, an artist retreat was announced with 3 out of the 4 teachers being ones I had worked with during my early days in Seattle. Flora Bowley, Katie Kendrick and Misty Mawn. The 4th teacher, Orly Avineri was new to me. I signed up immediately.

I have tried now for over a week to somehow summarize my experience and I keep coming up short. Not because I have nothing say, but more because I'm now sitting on the opposite side of another profound experience with my heart wide open. Pull up a seat and a cuppa for there is no summary for this. My gift to you is the raw, along some curated images of my many photographs I took to document the journey.

TSA found this suitcase to be very suspicious.

The Beginning - May 11th:

The reward for a startling 3am alarm was a sunrise soaked Mt Rainier. Sunrise struck just before take off and unfolded into jeweled sherbet creamsicle kissed.

Tesuque Village Market just past Santa Fe as pit stop after recognizing my headache wasn't cured by coffee. The smell of the old wood floors. A patio fireplace lit up for roasting chiles. At my first bite of their green chile enchiladas I realized why my friend Miguel tops everything with hot sauce - Seattle tex-mex comes nowhere near the level of flavor intensity. Not hot-spicy exactly, but robust. Delicious.

Mural outside of Tesuque Village Market

Recommended stop by Shidoni Galleries

In Deep

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 19:56:00 +0000

"In Deep" watercolor on paper, 6" x 9"

Some people find winter in the NW with it's insistent rain and grays oppressive, but I've always been the opposite. Gray, dreary days play to my muse, allowing indulgence in all the indoor activities I adore. I've actually been up to quite a lot but barely remember to take a pause and share. Let's catch up, shall we?

There have been studio days rich with color.

I've been playing with continuations of destroying paintings in order to create something new. Case in point, the above color play is now in this Frankenstein phase:

I took a class on iphone art and have grown greatly addicted. Sometimes just for sketches and quick composition ideas, but others have grown into full blown digital "paintings".

"Chief" - digital painting

"Defense" - digital painting

As an intuitive place to post these virtual artworks, I finally joined my generation and started an instagram account at saemaysae. I don't know why I was so reluctant beforehand - it's a wealth of beauty and inspiration and the format agrees with me more than any other social medium I've tried.

Another wonderful winter pursuit has been a renewal of the "practice" of drawing. I teamed up with fellow artist Claire Brandt to encourage each other back into regular life drawing sessions. Just like the gym, I don't necessarily want to go on a dark, rainy night, but always leave feeling SO glad I went.

And as a secondary piece to that, I bought an annual pass to the Volunteer Park Conservatory. There's nothing better than walking into the cactus house on a cold, rainy day, sketchbook in hand.

And lastly, I sat on my first big curatorial selection panel earlier this week. Armed with snacks and some great juror software, I was part of a curator panel for CoCA's 35th Anniversary Member show. It was super fun and actually easier than I thought to review nearly 1400 submissions from 195 artists. Looking forward to seeing this show installed across three locations next month!

Ghost Practice Opening Shots

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 05:14:00 +0000

Photo by Todd Lawson

For those who cannot visit Core Gallery in person, here are some pics taken from the end of the opening last night. I must extend my gratitude to Todd & Steve who even thought to take photos - because I sure didn't!

Photo by Steve Gawronski

Gallery View Panorama

After an Opening

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 06:49:00 +0000

After an opening my brain is spinning. My muse is driving. I have this unsettled momentum to do more - to be more - to follow up on all the ideas and all the beautiful threads of conversation -
And -
And -

And, I'm tired too, at the same time. This monumental influx and infusion at the same time there is a monumental sinking into fatigue.

I've output. I've spoken. I've condensed the madness of emotion into visual poetry and stood to speak of it.

For now, I rest.

The trick - oh! the trick! - is to hold onto the tiger's tail of that momentum. That energy. That "muse". And call her mine.

New Gallery Show - "Ghost Practice"

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 18:12:00 +0000

For the month of October, I will be exhibiting a whole batch of new work at CORE Gallery. I'm nearly ready to install it all this weekend for the opening next Thursday.

This year, unlike other years, I've been silent. Silent on my process. Silent on what I'm working through - because I was still working through it.

The outcome has been a massive amount of small works. Five mini-series that as a whole, I ended up titling "Ghost Practice."

After the dust had settled of a monumental heartbreak earlier this year, I started picking up the pieces of my life moving forward. I began contemplating those paths not taken. Those should-have, could-have, might-have-beens. What if we had gotten that house? That car? Would things be different if... what-if?

I was struck deeply by a section in Cheryl Strayed’s book, “Tiny Beautiful Things” that explored the idea of ghost ships - the life path that you didn’t take:

“I’ll never know, and neither will you, of the life you don’t choose. We’ll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn’t carry us. There’s nothing to do but salute it from the shore.”

Intuitive painting on wood led me to reveal personal symbols - scissors ready to cut and thread uncut.

A staircase at a residency I didn’t apply for.

A doorway to a permanent, independent home I didn’t pursue.

The pause in my life as the semi-colon.

There are watercolor houses composed of abstract shapes whose doodles got me through the rough patch of regretful insomnia.

The house sculptures that I had planned earlier in the year became inverted; I wanted to protect and tuck all their color and joy into the inside. Warrior arrows made of beach-combed driftwood stand guard outside.

And then there are the portraits; hooded figures from dreams and faces of friends far away alongside characters from the escapism I retreated into.

In practicing the art of letting go, these works conspire to dissect my threads with scissors, my inner landscape with stairs, and my truth from the lies I tell myself. Here I stand, waving from the shore.

Holidazing

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 13:30:00 +0000

For months on end, I've been too busy to collect my thoughts. My collections have waned. My muses have been starved, living off only little scraps of my attention at a time. (Poor things.)

Which is why this year's annual trip to the coast with my family was so fought for. So hard won, and so deeply enjoyed.

Gratitude. For all of this. Even the full hands.

New Year New Play

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 17:48:00 +0000

I didn't make any actual New Year's resolutions per se. No big declarations of diets or commitments. What I did do however, is make a promise to myself to "do better". Eat better, sleep better. Manage my time better. And to make space in that time for more creative play. Because it is ever so essential.

And then I also had to got and publicly acknowledge that I wanted to do better about documenting my creative pursuits in this here blog. So, here we go!

Bring it on 2015. Let's play

So far I've made a new art journal for doodles, a new computer case display, and I've renewed an interest in watercolor portraits. And you know what? It feels mighty good.

Farewell 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 20:25:00 +0000

In all of 2014 - all 365 days of it - I came here to post twice. As in, two times all year. There used to be a time when I would post that much in a week.

It isn't that I didn't do anything or have anything to say in 2014, just that I was struggling all year with what it all meant. I'm sitting here in recognition on this last day of the year, that I still am. But I realized I missed this space. I missed being able to turn to this blog at the end of a year to go "Oh yeah - that was fun!"

But in 2014, there is no record of all the fun I had, such as:

A 100k word novel, finished (WHAT? Yeah...)

A trip to Anza Borrego desert for sun & great food.

Moved to an apartment I truly love.

Many great visits with my darling folks.

A trip to San Francisco for an utter geek-out fan-girl meetup.

Attended and celebrated three separate weddings of dear and close people.

A trip to the Oregon Coast that I turned into a mini art residency, much to the amusement of my family.

Explored and rocked a brand new art process that embraced destruction. Which became a VERY successful show.

Collaborated with my studio mate on two big commissions, then oversaw the install in a shiny new apartment building.

Had many good times with good friends, including a perfect summer afternoon on Vashon Island.

Completed close to 50 "therapy" watercolor studies.

Helped CoCA have our best art marathon and auction yet.

Attended an inspiring talk by author Peter S. Beagle.

And capped the year off with a return to Miami Art Basel, this time as a verified writer for City Arts Magazine with a published article that followed.

Looking at it all in that way, it was a FANTASTIC year. Yet, I let the weight of other things mire me down.

I'm not going to make any grand declarations for 2015. There is still too much unknown I'm sitting on.
But I can say that I'd like to come here more often. I can say that I'd like to be healthier in heart, body and mind. I can say that I'm going to pursue my creative endeavors with gusto, as much as I can. Because they matter. To my heart, they matter.

Forest for the Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 00:44:00 +0000

At some point, so much time has passed that it no longer matters I haven't been here to update.
At some point, so much time has passed that I may have to admit a truth.

This year I was folded under a blanket of depression.

I'm okay(ish) now, but I believe it is what kept me quiet. I no longer felt like sharing here was important. Or that it mattered. Or that any of it mattered.
It was a dark time.

Do you know how I eventually started to pull myself free of it?
With art.
Sweet, saturated, silly and sensual art. Color for color's sake. Play for well, the play of it.

I have an exhibit up this month at CORE Gallery - and thank goodness. Having that deadline is what forced me into momentum again. I've updated my website with new images, and even included my artist statement purely because of the feedback I received at the opening from one woman - my truth - my deep and scary truth - touched and ignited someone.

And that right there proved me wrong. Sharing IS important. This matters.

So here I am. I may be back soon, I may not. But as long as it is within my power, I will be back.

Into the Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 01:52:00 +0000

I haven't been coming here to post much these past few months, and for that dear reader, I apologize. You see, my mind and inspiration have been elsewhere. My muse has flown into words and the more I indulge her, the more the words seem to come.
But not blog-words.
I somehow got it into my head that this was an "ART" blog. My "art" words have turned shy. There has been a drawing in and a lessening of my desire to constantly shout about what I'm up to. Because really, it has been more heart-thought than anything else.

I've been juggling a BIG life change. I first hinted about this back in August, but now it is all taking shape. After all the artwork about finding home, I finally set out to go and FIND it. Yep, as in house-hunting - the wild and elusive kind. It is getting a little woodsy over here.

This cabin-in-the-city pictured above may or may not work out, (can I get a sarcastic "yay" for short sales? Yay.) but for the sake of archiving and hope, I'm posting it here anyways. We're on the cusp of a decision this week so something feels right about sending this little ponder out to the Universe.
Whatever will be, will be.

Quick Update

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 02:01:00 +0000

Long time no-see, eh? I know... I know. But I've been busy - see?

Tiny versions of my torn painting houses, on view now through December 21st at CORE Gallery.

And I went traveling. To an island not-so-far-far-away.

LoFi Festival 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 22:39:00 +0000

Second year attending the LoFi Festival held at the Smoke Farm in Arlington. It's a fantastic art and music event and this year I enjoyed the river and the farm even more so!

Messages in bottles for all the artists

Our lovely volunteer coordinator, Tessa Hulls along with the biggest paella I've personally ever seen!

Extra family friendly this year!

Ilv Strauss "Hello" Postcard

Jennifer Law Living Furniture

Tessa Hulls Branch Fort

Tessa Hulls Branch Fort detail - exquisite!

Detail from the Satori Group's "Fieldwork" performance

"Done/Undone" Loom installation

"Done/Undone" Loom installation detail

Torchlight procession led by Orkestar Zirconium brass band

Summery Summertimes

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 02:00:00 +0000

At Slippery Pig Brewery, Poulsbo, WA - yum!

Hello there! I know what you are probably saying - "Hey! Long time no-see!"
And yes, I agree with you. It has been awhile.

The picture above taken by my dear friend Betsy Schairer, pretty well illustrates what I've been up to. Smiles, fun with friends, summery-summertime and being out and away from the studio.

It hasn't been all beer and brass pigs though. I've been deep thinking. Over-analyzing. Looking at all sorts of big picture life layers. Which is quite a lot of work. I returned to working full-time which has been reminding me how important it is to actually have a few weeknights free; something I have a difficult time doing it seems. Come the weekends, I'm too tuckered to be productive. A struggle so many of us creative types face, I know. My muse has been coming out in short bursts of pen and ink and the written word. A strange adjustment but I've been rather enjoying it.

Change is coming though. I'm sensing a touchdown of this twister. Pretty soon this swirl will solidify itself into action. For now, I'm trusting my "time off". Peace in the hurricane.

Between the Desert and the Deep Blue Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:11:00 +0000

New artworks on view through May 25th
CORE Gallery, Seattle, WA

When I was a child a trip to Baskin and Robbins was a time-sinking endeavor for my parents. Choice making has never come easy for me, so how does one choose between two beautiful places?

Exquisitely opposite, the desert and the sea are two sides of the same coin. Loving each, choosing neither and living in-between, I have been exploring my concept of place and “home”. Each painted landscape and tiny house is a window into one of my heart-homes: Anza Borrego, CA, Co. Donegal, Ireland. Izmir, Turkey. Seattle, WA. Yachats, OR. For “Shelter Ship” I created two perfect houses in the colors of the desert and the sea, only to destroy them.

Out of the wreckage, something new is built.
Community dwells where you grow it.

Special thanks to Carla Grahn, Kim Powell and Andy Steers. Due to the help and involvement of my community, all proceeds from the Shelter Ships will be donated to the DowntownEmergency Services Center.

Shelter Ship in Progress

Copper Counterweight

Shelter Ship #2 Detail

Shelter In Progress - Desert Side

Shelter in Progress - Sea Side

The Story of a Commission

noreply@blogger.com (Sara) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 03:19:00 +0000

Longfellow Creek Views, in progress

Nearly complete are the three largest paintings on wood I've ever made, thus far. Youngstown Flats commissioned me to create these large-scale artworks based off the neighboring Longfellow Creek Trail.

It is an urban park with dense native flora, vivid graffiti and an incredible Fish Bone Bridge sculpture by Lorna Jordan.

In these six-foot panels I have attempted to capture the lush juxtaposition of nature and man that is found in the park. Using positive and negative stain to hint at a rainy atmospheric background with bright botanical paintings in the foreground, as a whole the panels evoke a sense of place.

Working this large has been a true challenge. Even simply designed, 18 feet of painting takes a LOT of time! But the experience has taught me much, opened doors to new creative ideas as well as collaborations and friendships. Too large to fit through the door of my home studio, the commission brought me to share a studio space with artist Carla Grahn. Which in turn has given me a taste of the working-artist community that my own studio practice had been lacking. Just goes to show you never know where a project will take you!