Hi! It's me, Sara — Without An H
I create without that pesky extra letter in my first name.
I’m an artist that does more than just graphic design.
I never feel satisfied with work alone, I’m generally doing something creative on the side, and juggling multiple projects the same way I generally read multiple books at at time. I’m a driven individual that absorbs creativity from everywhere, and I use multiple mediums to export it into the world.
My Mom
My Gramma
My Dog
My Legos
I was raised in the era of “keeping yourself busy” and spent most summers at my uncle’s office while my family worked. Needless to say, there was always paper to draw on the other side of, and a plentiful supply of Scotch tape, pencils, markers and scissors. We didn’t have art class in school (it was cut from the budget) but I still kept drawing.
I learned to sew when I was eight years old, and that fueled the “crafty” side of me, which led to cross-stitching, crocheting, knitting, and I’m pretty much a sucker for any kit that makes a thing. I don’t care if they are for kids or adults.
Eight was a big year for me. I also got my first camera. My grandma’s best friend gave me a 110 camera that she won in a giveaway. While still restricted by the limitations of an 8 year old budget to buy and develop film with my own money – photos became important to me. I experimented plenty, but I took pictures that I really wanted to take because generally I was limited to 24 pictures…36 if there had been a sale.
My mom took me to work with her once in a while on the weekends. They randomly had a Macintosh computer in her office, and she let me play in something brand new called Adobe Illustrator. I didn’t notice how much time passed, I just drew on the computer. These are the moments that would easily be in the “Foreshadowing” section of my personal Cliff Notes…Which are apparently really called CliffsNotes and are still in print, according to the twenty seconds of research I just did.
I never stopped drawing…until Freshman year, when a senile old nun told me I shouldn’t bother after I handed in a painted piece I was really quite proud of. It crushed me. I told no one. I only doodled, and didn’t dare try to experiment or “waste my electives” on art. By senior year, I had a rebellious streak which led to me signing up for a sculpture class. By the third week, Mr. P, the art teacher, pulled me aside and asked me why I only started to take art now. I told him about the nun, he told me something I will always remember. “Don’t you EVER let someone make you think your art isn’t good.” If you’ve read this far, remember that. It’s important advice for ANYONE.
That moment, that advice is what sent me into an art explosion, and I haven’t stopped since. I literally cannot stop creating stuff. Follow me on Instagram if you would like to see my latest projects @saramwadford