About the Artist
Sarah Drake, MS, is an award-winning artist, teaching artist, and author. She has exhibited her artwork internationally in New York, Moscow, London, Tokyo, Ouagadougou, and Ulaanbaatar. Her artworks have earned her multiple awards, including the VSA Minnesota/Jerome Foundation 2017 Emerging Artist with Disability award and CMAB/McKnight Foundation 2015 Emerging Artist award, and has a piece in the permanent collection at the Marina Tsvetaeva Museum and Cultural Center in Moscow. She has worked on human rights and social justice topics for two decades, which guides her artistic creations.
Sarah Drake, MS, is an award-winning artist, teaching artist, and author. She has exhibited her artwork internationally in New York, Moscow, London, Tokyo, Ouagadougou, and Ulaanbaatar. Her artworks have earned her multiple awards, including the VSA Minnesota/Jerome Foundation 2017 Emerging Artist with Disability award and CMAB/McKnight Foundation 2015 Emerging Artist award, and has a piece in the permanent collection at the Marina Tsvetaeva Museum and Cultural Center in Moscow. She has worked on human rights and social justice topics for two decades, which guides her artistic creations.
Artist Statement for current series, “Beyond 28 Days and MLK: A paper collage series honoring black excellence and contribution in our community”
Although I’ve been a painter & mixed media artist for many years, because of health issues, I took up paper collage in November 2016. As such, when I started this series in 2017, I was still learning this new technique and what it meant to me as a creator, but already knew I preferred ripping paper to cutting. At first, I ripped because it was easier on my pained body, but then it became cathartic. What I found was that the rips began to have representation; I was tearing away at the layers of the issues I talk about in my artwork like racism, water and sanitation access, and women’s rights. Once torn, the paper became like puzzle pieces of rebuilding and restructuring into an aesthetic that imagines what could be if these issues didn’t exist. However, even when we dismantle the many facets of institutional racism and socio-economic exploitation, things aren’t smooth and pretty. There are still scars of the past, which the rugged look of ripped paper in my artwork represents.
When I was invited to exhibit artwork December 2017-February 2018, I began to wonder what I’d create. Kwanzaa, MLK Jr Day and Black History Month occurred during the exhibition, coupled with the new realization about my paper ripping, I was inspired to create a body of artwork about African and African American women. The goal was to show black women from our community in artwork, positively without stereotypes, and the impact they are making in my life and lives of others. I also wanted black women to see themselves in, and own, artwork. I then expanded the series to tell stories of overlooked, unseen, misunderstood, misrepresented, black women and it grew to included not only women from central MN, but Burkina Faso and celebrity black women who work for social justice. The series grew to include men as well.
This body of work is a learning opportunity for the viewer to see people in our community through my eyes, perspectives, and lived experiences. I hope viewers leave inspired to take action against discrimination, having learned something about our diverse and beautiful community, and remember the beautiful contributions black people give to our lives every day, not just during Black History Month or on MLK Day.
Prices are in the artist statement when art is display, not individually priced because it was a reminder of enslaved Africans sold at auction, and I couldn’t put prices next to people’s names. It is also why all pieces are at the same price. Pieces are installed with generous space between them as well because a tight arrangement was a reminder of the way people were enslaved and then involuntarily packed into slave ships.
Although I’ve been a painter & mixed media artist for many years, because of health issues, I took up paper collage in November 2016. As such, when I started this series in 2017, I was still learning this new technique and what it meant to me as a creator, but already knew I preferred ripping paper to cutting. At first, I ripped because it was easier on my pained body, but then it became cathartic. What I found was that the rips began to have representation; I was tearing away at the layers of the issues I talk about in my artwork like racism, water and sanitation access, and women’s rights. Once torn, the paper became like puzzle pieces of rebuilding and restructuring into an aesthetic that imagines what could be if these issues didn’t exist. However, even when we dismantle the many facets of institutional racism and socio-economic exploitation, things aren’t smooth and pretty. There are still scars of the past, which the rugged look of ripped paper in my artwork represents.
When I was invited to exhibit artwork December 2017-February 2018, I began to wonder what I’d create. Kwanzaa, MLK Jr Day and Black History Month occurred during the exhibition, coupled with the new realization about my paper ripping, I was inspired to create a body of artwork about African and African American women. The goal was to show black women from our community in artwork, positively without stereotypes, and the impact they are making in my life and lives of others. I also wanted black women to see themselves in, and own, artwork. I then expanded the series to tell stories of overlooked, unseen, misunderstood, misrepresented, black women and it grew to included not only women from central MN, but Burkina Faso and celebrity black women who work for social justice. The series grew to include men as well.
This body of work is a learning opportunity for the viewer to see people in our community through my eyes, perspectives, and lived experiences. I hope viewers leave inspired to take action against discrimination, having learned something about our diverse and beautiful community, and remember the beautiful contributions black people give to our lives every day, not just during Black History Month or on MLK Day.
Prices are in the artist statement when art is display, not individually priced because it was a reminder of enslaved Africans sold at auction, and I couldn’t put prices next to people’s names. It is also why all pieces are at the same price. Pieces are installed with generous space between them as well because a tight arrangement was a reminder of the way people were enslaved and then involuntarily packed into slave ships.
TEACHING ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Sarah Drake is a rostered teaching artist with almost 10 years experience. She works with all ages & abilities, from kids, youth, college, adult to seniors in schools, nursing homes, and the community. Mediums taught are paper collage, mixed media, and acrylic paint. Residencies usually address social topics by making art. Topics include: art for social change, water, human rights, immigration, discrimination, and the African continent.
Sarah Drake is a rostered teaching artist with almost 10 years experience. She works with all ages & abilities, from kids, youth, college, adult to seniors in schools, nursing homes, and the community. Mediums taught are paper collage, mixed media, and acrylic paint. Residencies usually address social topics by making art. Topics include: art for social change, water, human rights, immigration, discrimination, and the African continent.
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