Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Shoot.
Sarah, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have always been a gatherer. When I was little I used my mother’s fabric scraps to sew pillows. In college, while attending SIUC, I majored in art, focusing in fiber arts. During that time I started using found or reclaimed fabrics and paper for my collages. I enjoyed the hunt for materials. After college, my husband and I bought a farm in Southern Illinois where we raised our 2 daughters, organic produce and free range chicken and turkeys. A few years ago after a devastating barn fire, I was driven to turn the burnt tin rubble from the fire into something good. I started cutting and painting the tin to create earrings and pendants. I am still creating work from this reclaimed tin, and each piece contains a part of our farm, and makes a part of my story.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I create mixed media jewelry and collages from reclaimed materials. I have been focusing most of my energy lately on reclaimed tin jewelry. Each piece is cut by hand, sanded, painted and collaged to make earrings, pendants, brooches and rings. Most of the pieces are brightly painted, and some of my favorites layer colors and textures. My hope is to create fun, wearable art that is affordable for my customers. Each piece is truly one of a kind.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
While the downturn from the successes enjoyed by many artists, especially at art fairs up to and through the 90’s, is undeniable, the rise of online markets and platforms has created new opportunities for networking and sales. The internet can provide hours of inspiration, advice, and opportunity.
Still, as with anyone who sells their creations, it is inevitable that artists will encounter periods of uncertainty and insecurity. My reaction to these difficulties, as with those in my life in general, is to lose myself in my work. Just as times of happiness and promise often yield my favorite pieces, so can bouts of struggle and worry lead to moments of inspiration that lend a different perspective to what I create. The most important thing is to be aware of the things I see and feel, so that whether I wish to amplify the joy I am feeling or to work through a difficult time, part of me and my experiences will live in every piece and every process.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Though my online sales and networking through Etsy and the social media platforms I use have increased over the last decade, I also sell work at art fairs, shops, and galleries, mainly in the lower Midwest. Current shops and galleries include:
304 Artspace, Carbondale, IL
Jacoby Art Center, Alton, IL
Edwardsville Arts Center, Edwardsville, IL
Craft Alliance, St Louis, MO
Shine Boutique, St. Louis, MO
Union Studio, St Louis, MO
Bluestem Missouri Crafts, Columbia, MO
Bricolage, Paducah, KY
Barcelona Art Space, Milwaukee, WI
Off the Wheel Pottery and Gallery, Egg Harbor, WI
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarahshoot.com
- Email: sarahshoot@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahshootmixed/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarah-Shoot-Mixed-Media-Art
- Other: http://sarahshoot.etsy.com
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
