Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Sannes.
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Art is a fairly new endeavor for me and it’s one of the ways that I’m now taking care of myself. My roles as a school counselor, parent, and caretaker of family members have meant that most of my adult life has been dedicated to meeting the needs of others. I’ve prioritized my disabled sister, both parents – one with brain cancer and one with Alzheimer’s, my students, and I’m a mom, so also my own kid. However as some of those responsibilities have decreased, my interest in art has increased. I’ve always had a keen eye, paying close attention to the world around me and taking note of how the colors in nature blend or contrast. The yearning to create grew as I slowed down, but I didn’t really know how to express what I was observing.
Three years ago I attended an Artists’ Retreat, despite a looming sense that I didn’t belong there. At the beginning of the retreat we were invited to introduce ourselves and identify our artistic medium. Everyone else was quite confident in their answers: watercolor, pottery, music, photography, theater. My mind spun as I tried to figure out what I would say when it was my turn. I had tried fabric art, knitting, painting, and writing, but I didn’t have a clear sense of what direction my art would take. I figured, when in doubt, try humor. “Leftovers,” was my response. “I can make completely new and delicious dishes from leftovers.” It’s true – I primarily cook without recipes and can combine what I have in the fridge to create amazing new dishes that don’t resemble the original, but culinary arts was not my intended artistic medium. At that point I knew I wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t know how to express what had been lying dormant within me for so long.
After the retreat, I focused on painting and tried both acrylic and watercolor. I kept it simple, creating cards or small pictures that I’d give to friends. When I had time off or traveled, I’d relax with watercolors, just learning and trying something new, often creating things that landed in the recycle bin or the bottom of a box. Every once in a while I’d make something that I felt proud of, something I considered a “keeper”.
This past summer I needed to ship a package so I popped into Mail N’ Ship, a newly opened store in Little Canada. The owner, Ia, and I chatted about her new store and she showed me an area that she had set up to sell items made by locals. She complained about her bare walls, so we started talking about art. I had just made a couple of pieces that were colorful and I showed her some pictures on my phone. She immediately encouraged me to make some prints and said she’d sell them. It had never occurred to me to sell my paintings, but it was a very fun prospect. I was off for the summer, so I excitedly made some prints, notecards, and stickers and dropped them off with Ia.
A couple of weeks later, I was in the Mail N’ Ship store again and Ia told me that one of the Little Canada administrators was in the store, saw my art, and wanted to connect with me. We exchanged a few emails and had a phone call in which she explained to me that she has been looking for a Little Canada resident to create some art depicting several of the iconic places in Little Canada. Later, we met at City Hall and she showed me a room that she envisioned would hold my art. I was both flattered and extremely scared. This was a really big step up from cards and doodles for friends. I wasn’t sure that I had it in me, but I decided to give it my best shot. Since then, I’ve created two pieces – a playground and an obelisk – which are now displayed at the Little Canada City Hall. I have plans for several others as well, which I hope to work on during the long Minnesota winter.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Art is a fairly new endeavor for me and it’s one of the ways that I’m now taking care of myself. My roles as a school counselor, parent, and caretaker of family members have meant that most of my adult life has been dedicated to meeting the needs of others. I’ve prioritized my disabled sister, both parents – one with brain cancer and one with Alzheimer’s, my students, and I’m a mom, so also my own kid. However as some of those responsibilities have decreased, my interest in art has increased. I’ve always had a keen eye, paying close attention to the world around me and taking note of how the colors in nature blend or contrast. The yearning to create grew as I slowed down, but I didn’t really know how to express what I was observing.
Three years ago I attended an Artists’ Retreat, despite a looming sense that I didn’t belong there. At the beginning of the retreat we were invited to introduce ourselves and identify our artistic medium. Everyone else was quite confident in their answers: watercolor, pottery, music, photography, theater. My mind spun as I tried to figure out what I would say when it was my turn. I had tried fabric art, knitting, painting, and writing, but I didn’t have a clear sense of what direction my art would take. I figured, when in doubt, try humor. “Leftovers,” was my response. “I can make completely new and delicious dishes from leftovers.” It’s true – I primarily cook without recipes and can combine what I have in the fridge to create amazing new dishes that don’t resemble the original, but culinary arts was not my intended artistic medium. At that point I knew I wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t know how to express what had been lying dormant within me for so long.
After the retreat, I focused on painting and tried both acrylic and watercolor. I kept it simple, creating cards or small pictures that I’d give to friends. When I had time off or traveled, I’d relax with watercolors, just learning and trying something new, often creating things that landed in the recycle bin or the bottom of a box. Every once in a while I’d make something that I felt proud of, something I considered a “keeper”.
This past summer I needed to ship a package so I popped into Mail N’ Ship, a newly opened store in Little Canada. The owner, Ia, and I chatted about her new store and she showed me an area that she had set up to sell items made by locals. She complained about her bare walls, so we started talking about art. I had just made a couple of pieces that were colorful and I showed her some pictures on my phone. She immediately encouraged me to make some prints and said she’d sell them. It had never occurred to me to sell my paintings, but it was a very fun prospect. I was off for the summer, so I excitedly made some prints, notecards, and stickers and dropped them off with Ia.
A couple of weeks later, I was in the Mail N’ Ship store again and Ia told me that one of the Little Canada administrators was in the store, saw my art, and wanted to connect with me. We exchanged a few emails and had a phone call in which she explained to me that she has been looking for a Little Canada resident to create some art depicting several of the iconic places in Little Canada. Later, we met at City Hall and she showed me a room that she envisioned would hold my art. I was both flattered and extremely scared. This was a really big step up from cards and doodles for friends. I wasn’t sure that I had it in me, but I decided to give it my best shot. Since then, I’ve created two pieces – a playground and an obelisk – which are now displayed at the Little Canada City Hall. I have plans for several others as well, which I hope to work on during the long Minnesota winter.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the College and Career counselor at Paladin High School in Coon Rapids. It’s such an honor to work with students who are making decisions about their future. I love building relationships with students and coordinating events and programs that help them with these important life decisions. As much as I love my work, it’s intense and sometimes draining. I also find that my job doesn’t scratch my creative itch and I really look forward to weekends or breaks so that I have big chunks of time to lose myself in art. Lately, when I’ve been painting, I’ve experienced getting into the “flow”, when my mind is so focused on what I’m creating that I lose track of time. I’ve never experienced that before and it’s amazing. Afterwards, I feel so refreshed, like I’ve just taken a lovely nap.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
My biggest lesson has been learning to have the courage to say “yes”. Yes to just try; yes when opportunities present themself; yes, even when self-doubt looms large. When I was asked to create pieces for Little Canada City Hall, I kept thinking that they had the wrong person, that there had to be a thousand other local artists who are much more talented than I am. Of course, there will always be better artists, but I’ve learned to accept myself and my art right where I’m at currently and to just be okay with that. I’m also excited about the future. I’m convinced that there will be many more surprises ahead that will challenge me to say “yes”.
Contact Info:
- Other: [email protected]
