Sarah paints from her seafront studio upstairs at The King’s Theatre, Kirkcaldy and often packs up her van and art materials to go find inspiration from remote outdoor adventures and solitude.

About the new collection ‘Held within the trees’

Rather than focussing on what a forest looks like, it explores what it feels like to be surrounded by trees.  Sarah gives 5 reasons why she decided to pursue this theme:

“1.  Before focusing on my own work as a painter I worked as an arts facilitator in psychiatric health.  One particular project sticks in my mind, working in a forest with people living with dementia.  I saw first hand the effect that trees had on wellbeing, providing peace, sense of safety and a break from everyday anxieties.

2.  I am interested in the transformative cycle of nature and parallel this to the human experience and the challenges we face.  The shifting of the seasons, trees don't fear change, they let go, rest, then continue to evolve and grow. 

3.  As trees mature, they are seen as more beautiful, more majestic. They gain character with every scar, twist and knot. Their impact and benefit to the world becomes bigger not smaller.  As a woman in her 40's I’m sure you can see what I am getting at.

4.  I paint an atmosphere and how things feel.  I feel a powerful shift when I enter at forest. I feel connected to nature, I can breathe easier, experience a feeling that I am being nurtured or comforted in some way. This where the title for the collection comes from 'Held within the trees'

5.  The diverse beauty in colour and light.  I am known for vibrant hues, what could better for inspiration than the everchanging natural forest colour scheme, the dappled light and dark depths.”  

BA(Hons) Illustration & PG DIP Visual communication, Edinburgh College of art.