Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Ayala.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sarah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I realized, I was an artist before I had made any art at all. I was attending Texas Christian University to become a Kindergarten teacher when I abruptly made the decision to stop going to school and make art. I didn’t know how I was going to do it or what I wanted to make, but I knew I was being dishonest with myself going to school and I was very aware of the fact that I simply wanted to create things. That drive to create has lead me to all the different expressive avenues I’ve experimented with since then. Shortly after leaving school, I was welcomed into the art collective Art Hunger by Mike Moffatt, John Worley, Nick C. Kirk, and William Hall. The art scene in Fort Worth looked completely different then, but this group gave me the opportunity to show my work when there was no outlet for it otherwise.
During this time, I was still trying to figure out the content of my work, what I wanted to show the world. Through my studies of psychedelics and eastern philosophies, my content began to naturally present itself in the form of mandalas, tessellations and other geometric psychedelia. This genre of work ultimately lead to me live painting at events and concerts for quite a while. I traveled to Austin often to paint and show with collectives in that area. I also began painting live every Monday night at Lola’s Saloon. Bartender/saxophonist Jeff Dazey created the “Monday Nights at Lola’s” and asked me to come aboard as the live artist. While acts like Leon Bridges or Quaker City Nighthawks would play, me and other artists I invited would paint and create live.
The appeal of creating live slowly died out as the content of my work continued to evolve. As I started to book more shows out of state in Colorado, the sharp lines and attention to detail in my work brought me into the world of sign painting and pinstriping. I was fortunate enough to work with Tanner Leaser, a professional pinstriper and custom painter, long enough to learn the basics and was encouraged and pushed to keep working at the craft. Sign painting and pinstriping is the most satisfying and emotionally rewarding work I’ve done so far. I now spend most of my time with this type of work but I’m always working on commissions like drawings or custom designs.
I’ll forever love the history and beauty of mandalas as well, so I give mandala workshops as often as my schedule will allow. I’m also trying to do larger projects, this past year, I’ve been collaborating with other creatives such as John Worley and Katie Murray on some large-scale walls around town. I try to give back as much as I can with my work by donating art to benefits or auctions. I’m fortunate enough to have a private studio, off Montgomery in the Cultrual District, that I hope to one day turn into a retail outlet.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle has always been the balance between healthy goal setting and not having too high of expectations for yourself. Unfortunately, the measure of success can seem to be how “busy” you are. I often feel guilty when I rest or take breaks from jobs and feel like my worth is directly related to how much work I am putting out. This is obviously not the case but it’s so hard to remember at times, especially when society seems to be addicted to “doing”. When I get past the mental battles that come with art and creating, the road is actually very smooth…you just have to make the art. Also, I’m fortunate to have family and friends that have been very supportive and inspiring throughout this journey. My clients and customers also make the struggles more than worthwhile.
Please tell us about Sarah Ayala.
As of right now, my specialty is lettering and pinstriping. I’m always changing and trying new things, but this has been my constant for some time now and how I think most people recognize my work lately. I’m most proud of being a female in the sign painting and pinstriping arena. It is uncommon and it can effect people’s ability to take me professionally, which leads me to push myself. I’ve received comments about how the craft was probably just passed down to me through a grandfather or the like but in reality, I worked hard and sought out the tools I have now, which has not been easy. Working with the brushes and paint, I do takes practice and dedication, it’s not something that was given to me or that I picked up overnight. I set a goal to learn how to paint letters and I made it happen and for that I’m very proud. The craft itself is a rare one nowadays, with most signs being vinyl or car adornments being decals. A hand painted sign represents hard work and originality in itself and the owning or commissioning of a hand painted sign shows respect for those classic ideals.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memories are of my parents letting me experiment to find my passion. Whether it was dancing, martial arts, bass guitar, robotics or whatever. They always encouraged me to do what I thought I was interested in at the time. Eventually, art was the passion that stuck but every activity I was involved in as a child, built my work ethic and has contributed in some way to what my life is today.
Contact Info:
- Email: sarahayala09@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sarahrayala
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArtworkOfSarahAyala
Image Credit:
Carlo Evans
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