Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Kanwal.
Sara, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I credit a lot of my art journey to my early years of education in Pakistan. Looking back, elementary and middle school memories are filled with hands on art projects. Regardless of the subject matter, hand-made creative projects and the ability to present them to the rest of school and staff were at the core of our education. My mother as well played a vital role in allowing and nurturing my artistic abilities. I remember her buying me clay pottery that I used to decorate with different ornaments (and hilariously once even with uncooked glued and sprayed macaroni). From buying stationary art supplies, to yarn, to allowing me to bring home palm trees (I used to braid the leaves) – she nurtured the artist in me.
Over the years as school and college started to take more of my attention, I slipped away from art. It wasn’t until I got married and moved to Texas that I re-discovered my childhood love. This time around, my partner played a big role in reminding and encouraging me of my lost love of art. In Oct 2015, I came across mandala art and decided to give it a try. That has been the beginning of this new journey. After a while of drawing mandalas and learning different techniques to improve my designs, my partner suggested the idea of a coloring book. That is when I decided to turn my mandalas into a unique coloring book and SaraKcreations originated. Since then I have delved into the world of illustrations, geometric art and coloring books. I am currently working on honing my skills, growing my audience and getting in touch with the local art community.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I find myself to gravitate towards symmetry and balance. My art mostly revolves around geometric, measured mandalas and illustrations. It almost always begins with a grid, which allows me to achieve as much symmetry as possible.
With a degree background in Psychology, I am drawn towards human behavior, emotions, self-awareness and growth. I also have a deep love of spirituality and find it to be at the core of my values. Vacations usually involve being in nature, camping, hiking and exploring national parks. I could never express in words the mindfulness and growth one achieves through being in nature.
My creations are very much a manifestation of my love of nature, spirituality and self-awareness. This form of art is derived from consistent and repetitive small steps, beginning from the center and growing outwards; ultimately achieving a unique piece each time. I find it to be very relatable to the concepts of everyday life achievements, challenges and overall growth of a person.
Through my art, I hope to inspire others to practice mindfulness. That is also the reason I decided to create my social media handle. I share my art along with thoughts and quotes of self-realization. For the past year I have been working on creating a unique coloring book. The book has 30 unique hand drawn illustrations (I have been sharing my journey on Instagram) along with inspirational verses that signify spirituality, self-awareness and hope. I am in the last stages of publishing my coloring book, which will then be available on Amazon.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
I think it is very important to utilize both social media and local venues. Social media can be a scary platform with millions of users but authenticity speaks. Put out your best work, provide real insights and offer help to others and it can be very rewarding with unexpected connections. It is also extremely important not to forget about connecting locally. Go to farmers market, art walks, shops that represent local artists and connect with your local art museums. Not only does it help to socialize but you learn so much through the experiences of others, which is vital.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Order prints, originals, or custom art work through my Instagram handle @sarakcreations or via email. Upcoming coloring book will be listed on my Instagram handle and sold via Amazon. Participate in upcoming video learning courses with me through jobskillshare.org
Contact Info:
- Email: Art.sarakcreations@
gmail.com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/sarakcreations/ - Other: https://www.
jobskillshare.org/course-cat/ art/
Image Credit:
All images belong to me @sarakcreations
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