We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Oakley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve started the same trio of businesses in other states, and in North Georgia three times: once in Gainesville in “Life Before Covid”, then starting over again after local recovery a few years ago, and in the same time frame, building this trio in nearby Clarkesville, GA. The trio consists of a group studio, a collective gallery and an art school.
The mindset is to build a community of artists, in such a way that their progression as professionals is supported every step of the way. Artists learn, their reputations grow, art is presented in their city, art is sold. Within this art community, artists help artists. While little money is made by the trio of businesses, they are all self-supporting.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My work is an eclectic mix of styles ranging from realism (drawing & botanical watercolor) to expressive (painting in oil, fluid acrylic or watermedia) to abstract studies in color and shape (pastels). I choose the approach depending on the inspiration and mood of the day. Starting my career a half century ago as an illustrator, a field that allows little in the way of interpretation, I clearly remember the day I made the change to fine art. I deliberately traded income for happiness, adjusting my lifestyle to uncertain finances. I’m still delighted with the trade.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Downtown Gainesville is now a charming destination of restaurants and shops. Of course, I would show off Oakley Gallery there. The same can be said of the old, colorful town of Clarkesville, and the places to visit include Hemlock Studio Gallery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to celebrate the artists in various states, who bravely band together to build collaborative work places, events and galleries. At the moment, I work with nearly 200 of these remarkable people!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064167183201&mibextid=LQQJ4d and https://www.facebook.com/artinclarkesville?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.