Meet SarahLand Studios | Artist

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

Hi SarahLand Studios, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Artists are sensitive creatures. We see all six shades of green in that one tree, notice the shadows and the light. When we work, we can become totally engaged, lose track of time, not eat or sleep or drink water. We work with cuts, burns, smudges, paint, pencils and power tools. We work until our hands go numb, until our bones hurt, until our eyes blur. When we come back to the work, we almost always find flaws. We choose to fix, trash, set aside (sometimes for years), or accept that perfection is an illusion and offer our creations to the world. Showing and selling art requires bravery, logistical aptitude, a variety of (usually heavy) equipment, adaptability, and incredibly thick skin. When people walk past and say, “Oh how beautiful,” it fills me up like nothing else. On the flip side, hearing, “Oh that’s nothing. I could do that,” hits like a sucker punch. Extensive behind-the-scenes labor makes the finished product look effortless, but I promise, it’s harder than it looks!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a mixed-media artist working primarily with upcycled/found objects to create functional, decorative, wearable art. A conservationist by nature, I try to minimize the human impact on our planet by collecting random items and transforming them into unique works. My mediums include wood, glass, canvas, paper, ink, oil pastel and always paint. I came across flow acrylic painting and fell in love with the liquidity of this particular style. I love mixing and reviving paint and pushing the boundaries of color theory. In addition to canvas and wood, I painted on some random scrap tile and became slightly obsessed. Over the last 4 years I have created over 1200 individual painted tile coasters, trivets, and magnets that I seal with a commercial grade epoxy for heat-resistance and durability. In the interest of sustainability, I allow the excess paint to dry and hand-cut interesting compositions from the paint scraps to glaze into jewelry setting for earrings, pendants, and bracelets. My art is constantly evolving. Just when I think I’ve settled into a particular style/item/technique, I come across something that inspires me in a totally different direction. One of my challenges has been to trust that process. Marketing my work can also present a challenge. I create a wide variety of things and am still learning how to best approach releasing my work to the public. Right now I’m working on small, tile-topped trinket boxes! I would love to do a custom backsplash! I’m also dipping a toe into paper arts as a balance to my really heavy tile art. My next goal is a studio that better suits where I am now and gives me room to grow as an artist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I came up on the East side of the A and my interests span quite a range! Here goes: Avondale Estates brewery tour for Lost Druid, Little Cottage, 3 Taverns; any pop-up or neighborhood markets happening (especially if I’m vending); the High Museum (the spiral ramp is EVERYTHING); Brockett Pub in Clarkston for the best burger; dancing at MJQ or MSR; stroll around EAV and L5P; Stillwell’s Emporium in Stone Mountain.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could fill page after page naming individual people who encouraged and supported my art path (TLDR), and I am eternally grateful for all of them. However, my shout out goes to The Bizarre Bazaar. Established in 2015, this pop-up market caters to aspiring artists and crafters with low vendor fees, minimal equipment requirements, and various locations. By participating in these markets, I discovered a public interest in my art which gave me the confidence to expand my medium. Being surrounded by other artists experiencing similar doubt and certainty, frustration and joy, disappointment and satisfaction created a safe space for us all to grow. So, shout out to the Bizarre Bazaar: the owner/operator, Angelica Shearer-Bakhsh, each venue that hosts the market, every artist that braves the elements, fear, and any number of other obstacles to sit in a parking lot all day, all the amazing friends I’ve made on this journey, and every single human that comes out to support our community of creators. Thank you.

Website: https://sarahlandstudios.com

Instagram: #sarahlandstudios