Sarah Drake is the founder of herARTS in Action (non-profit) and Sarah Drake LLC (for-profit) where she is an artist, writer, conducts teaching artist residencies, facilitates trainings, manages social media and coordinates projects and events.
Her artwork has exhibited internationally in New York, Moscow, London, Ouagadougou and Tokyo and has a piece in the permanent collection at the Marina Tsvetaeva Museum and Cultural Center in Moscow. Sarah's artwork and projects have earned her multiple awards, including the CMAB/McKnight Foundation 2015 Emerging Artist, VSA Minnesota/Jerome Foundation 2017 Emerging Artist and an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship.
Sarah has a Master’s of Science degree in Social Responsibility and her undergraduate degree focused on Ethnic Studies and Geography, both from St. Cloud State University, and Design diploma from St. Cloud Technical & Community College.
Artist Statement:
I'm a self taught emerging mixed media artist. Found and recycled materials are used as often as possible to leave a small footprint on the planet. The geometric shapes incorporated into my artwork is inspired by the Gurrunsi women of Burkina Faso, West Africa and their traditional hut paintings. This came to be because of a trip to Burkina Faso in 2011. That visit also resulted in the formation of herARTS in Action, a NGO working on access to clean water and sanitation. As a result, my artwork informs about water and sanitation and a percentage of all sales are donated to these efforts. I also teach art to young and old so they can get comfortable with art tools and be able to tell a visual story.
My adult career has consisted of working with refugees, immigrants and human rights and using my white privilege to help carve space for “others” to have their voices heard. It’s very important to me that I use this experience and work-with a community, not work-for or impose upon said community and share this through my artwork. I have the ability to connect with people on an intimate level and earn trust that allows for an exchange of ideas. Aside from the water project creations, my artwork takes a critical view of socioeconomic and cultural topics and deconstructs notions of race, slavery, feminism and human rights. My goal is to engage viewers in a dialogue that expands views and experiences and with those that may not have been otherwise exposed to art and culture.
Her artwork has exhibited internationally in New York, Moscow, London, Ouagadougou and Tokyo and has a piece in the permanent collection at the Marina Tsvetaeva Museum and Cultural Center in Moscow. Sarah's artwork and projects have earned her multiple awards, including the CMAB/McKnight Foundation 2015 Emerging Artist, VSA Minnesota/Jerome Foundation 2017 Emerging Artist and an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship.
Sarah has a Master’s of Science degree in Social Responsibility and her undergraduate degree focused on Ethnic Studies and Geography, both from St. Cloud State University, and Design diploma from St. Cloud Technical & Community College.
Artist Statement:
I'm a self taught emerging mixed media artist. Found and recycled materials are used as often as possible to leave a small footprint on the planet. The geometric shapes incorporated into my artwork is inspired by the Gurrunsi women of Burkina Faso, West Africa and their traditional hut paintings. This came to be because of a trip to Burkina Faso in 2011. That visit also resulted in the formation of herARTS in Action, a NGO working on access to clean water and sanitation. As a result, my artwork informs about water and sanitation and a percentage of all sales are donated to these efforts. I also teach art to young and old so they can get comfortable with art tools and be able to tell a visual story.
My adult career has consisted of working with refugees, immigrants and human rights and using my white privilege to help carve space for “others” to have their voices heard. It’s very important to me that I use this experience and work-with a community, not work-for or impose upon said community and share this through my artwork. I have the ability to connect with people on an intimate level and earn trust that allows for an exchange of ideas. Aside from the water project creations, my artwork takes a critical view of socioeconomic and cultural topics and deconstructs notions of race, slavery, feminism and human rights. My goal is to engage viewers in a dialogue that expands views and experiences and with those that may not have been otherwise exposed to art and culture.
