::::featured artist:::sarah elminshawi::::

a. favorite art material- Acrylics, India ink/Calligraphy ink, and really good quality watercolor paper.

b. places of inspiration {shops, nature, places, etc}- Definitely people and atmosphere; but the simplest things can inspire me. I love seeing odd and unusual color combinations, be it something occurring in nature or created in a child’s drawing. I love to express emotions through the movements of the human body and our baser natures and mysticism through animal imagery, and I often attempt to find beauty in darker situations. Music is also one of the hugest inspirations and motivators for me when it comes to art. A lot of the time when I create art, I want to capture the feelings that music that I am inspired by can bring out; the challenge is trying to translate that feeling onto the canvas. I am also inspired by other artists and the ways that they choose to express themselves, create images and tackle design challenges.

c. favorite website- One of my favorite artists is Yuko Shimizu, a New York based artist from Japan, www.yukoshimizu.com, but I am also inspired by so many genres of art, from traditional artists such as Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali, to illustrators from the 1960′s such as Erich Sokol, who created fantastic illustrations for Playboy, and graphic artists such as Saul Bass who created countless images for many films. I am also greatly inspired by record album covers and fantastic photography, especially photo’s captured of people in raw/candid moments that express  and reveal so much more than a staged image.

d. what provokes you to create art? My life provokes me to create art. I often feel it is one of the truest ways I can express what I feel about things, how I see the world, and how I want to see the world.

See her work here,

www.sarahelminshawi.com

This artist’s work is extraordinarily intricate and exhibits a somewhat dark but whimsical narrative. Her color palette often includes dark tones but is highlighted by almost neon colors. She recently had a duo exhibition titled, Double Negative, and seeing her work in real-life is definitely a must! Often large scale, her paintings are extremely detailed and your eyes dance back and forth across the composition. She was one of the artists in the most recent SUPER SKETCH,  and her performance was incredible! She displayed a musical adventure using characters of various ages and personalities, often including fox-like features to collaborate with the musician she performed with, Maundrie Fox. In every aspect this artist creates work that is uniquely engaging and inspiring!