Sarah Conklin – Embody

This exhibition round includes works provided by Sarah Conklin which will be on view in the First Floor Main Gallery from February 12 – April 26, 2025.  Lowe Mill A&E invites patrons and art lovers to join us for Open Studio Night, a building-wide experience when our over 150 studios will be open to the public.  The evening also includes receptions for all seven of our gallery spaces. This series gives the public a chance to meet and interact with visiting artists and discuss their work as it is on display and available for purchase. Come out, enjoy a pleasant evening, and maybe you’ll find that special piece of art that speaks to you!  The Open Studio Night reception is Saturday, April 26 from 5-7 pm.

 

About the exhibit:

I transform discarded fabric into repurposed works of art that place form and material at the forefront. I am drawn to the abundance of fabric that is no longer needed. Fabric, in its simplicity, and flexibility, offer endless possibilities for manipulation.

My work is minimal, yet layered with meaning, incorporating signs, symbols, and organic shapes inspired by nature and my research into the deeper connections between color, form, and the natural world.

Through my art, I explore my personal interpretations of nature, symbols, and the interconnectedness of all life, focusing on their calming and grounding effects. Each piece is made slowly and intentionally, beginning with hand-drawn sketches on paper, which allows me to be fully present in the creative process. This method of working in quiet and stillness supports my own sense of body regulation, and creates space for reflection and awareness as the piece gradually comes to life.

This body of work centers on themes of simplicity, beauty, and the quiet power of stillness. I hope these pieces offer you a sense of peace, grounding, and calm as you engage with them. And give you a glimpse into the fact that we all have the ability to make greater connections with ourselves, objects and the environment in our everyday life.

 

About the artist:

Sarah Conklin was born in Poughkeepsie in 1970, she grew up in the tiny Hamlet of Frost Mills located in Staatsburg, NY. As a child, she spent her days learning and sewing alongside her mother on a cast iron portable sewing machine and exploring the woods and creeks around their family home in the Hudson Valley. In her 20s she wandered a bit. Then in 1996 she moved to Huntsville, AL, and now calls it home. She discovered a love of working with metals in high school and concentrated on metals in college. During college, she added printmaking to her skill set. Her love for making started early on as she saw her mother spend her free time with pastels creating beautiful illustrations along with many other creative endeavors. She has worked for a prominent local jeweler, at pottery studios and unschooled her kids. She was one of the founding members of a printmaking collective for 11 years, where she found her way back to her roots in textiles. She uses discarded fabrics that she makes her own by adding original prints to them which rewrites their stories. With these fabrics she creates textiles to be used, loved, and to absorb memories of the user.