We have this little gadget on the front page of our Fiber Focus Group that pulls images from Flickr tagged "fiber art". Last week this cute guy with a red face and wings popped up:
Merman by Sarah's Artwork
I quickly clicked on it as I wanted to know more about it. I knew instantly that this was a piece that would be close to my heart. And where there was one, there would probably be more.
I was right! Merman led me to a treasure trove of wonderful work! I am especially attracted to work that is influenced by ethnic art, yet twisted into something new. If you visit the Sarah's Artwork blog, you will find this to be true in this case. The blog is loaded with images of inspiration and how they become translated by Sarah into something new. For example, take this piece from her series, My Tribe:
Source of inspiration: Africa!
Other My Tribe pieces all recall Africa, although Sarah said that she is also inspired by the immigrants she sees in Melbourne, often wearing tribal tattoos or henna designs from their place of origin.
But, Merman, looked distinctly Mexican in flavor to me. Hmmmm.... Sure enough, Sarah has been to Mexico and fell in love with it!
And, where does this well of creative juices spring from? AUSTRALIA!!!! It's A Small World After All started playing in my head... Sorry. It's all that childhood indoctrination...
Its A Small World (After All) - Disney
Woman by Sarah's Artwork
I have found that artists who fill their artwork with detail and texture, like Sarah, tend to also decorate or fill their work spaces in the same way. This is true with her. Sarah's former studio was an altar to life. Walls, even the ceiling, celebrate the world, bringing cultures together into a collage of color and texture.
I contacted Sarah and told her how much I liked her work. We exchanged several e-mails and she turned out to be as interesting in cyber-reality as her work. I don't expect much when I contact people out of the blue like this. Many never respond, people are busy, whatever... but, Sarah was enthusiastic and shared quite a bit about what is going on with her. She packed up her studio and is in the process of crossing the ocean to start a new phase in her life: Montana, USA! She has friends there and eventually wants to make it back down to Mexico. Montana is a long way from Kentucky, but it gets my hopes up that if we are at least in the same country, there is a tiny chance that we could meet someday.
Meanwhile, visit Sarah at her blog, leave some comments here about how wonderful she is, and from us all, we wish you "Happy Travels, Sarah!"
Click on this short bio to see a larger image:
What a discovery! What an artist! Wait 'til the American Folk Art Museum discovers her - - - it'll be a super show. :-)
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