We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarah Deacon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have always loved making things from the time I was a quiet girl drawing over a hundred detailed paper dolls in my room and making my sister memorize their names (sorry, Jenny.)

I spent hours practicing lettering and handwriting and when I discovered that my junior high classmates wanted me to write the names of favorite rock bands on their denim blue binders, my obsession with lettering and calligraphy began.

Soon I became a teenager who wanted more clothes than I could afford, so I sewed my own: even a pair of imitation Calvin Klein jeans (this was the Brooke Shields era!)
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My art teachers during my years in Baltimore County Public Schools motivated and inspired me, even though my bicentennial poster in 6th grade was runner up to the one featuring Betsy Ross. When my 8th grade art teacher displayed my perspective name painting, I was hooked. (Now I teach art in that same exact classroom… go figure!)

Spending hours in the painting studio, darkroom and in the graphic design office at James Madison University helped me develop my skills and I thought I was headed toward a career in design/communications/journalism. An unsatisfying internship at a newspaper made me question how I wanted to spend my life, and I switched to art education as a career pursuit.

This is my 37th year teaching art in some form. I have taught pre-K through college. My thousands of past students include motivated adults, enthusiastic elementary artists and reluctant teenagers. Currently I teach 6th, 7th and 8th graders at the largest middle school in Baltimore County.

I have the best job in the school. I get to watch kids solve problems, challenge themselves, create, invent, flick paint at each other, and sometimes I even get to supervise 6th graders in the cafeteria. Good times, good times.

What work could be more important than shaping young minds? It’s overwhelming, amazing, creative, fulfilling, frustrating and entertaining. And that’s just on a slow day.

When my roommate and dear friend Emily asked me to design her wedding invitation 33 years ago, I got the idea to see if people might actually pay me to do fancy writing. Guess what? They will! Since then, I have worked as a freelance calligrapher and artist in addition to my full-time art teaching gig. I love adding whimsy and elegance to events and making clients smile with personalized signs, perfume bottles, and even monogrammed Ugg boots. One of my most fulfilling jobs recently was creating hand lettered envelopes for Emily’s daughter’s wedding.

Full circle. Full life.

Great, we appreciate you by sharing to us about your art business: Calligraphy and Custom Artwork?

I specialize in combining words and art: paintings, collages, greeting cards, signs, and invitations are some of the varied items in my portfolio.

Planning an event like a wedding is a joy but can also be a great deal of work. When a couple hires me to address envelopes, design invitations and signs, and letter place cards, I can take a bit of the stress away from them and add a touch of elegance or whimsy to the event. When a guest receives a hand lettered envelope, the tone is set. They know this occasion will be special.

I love the connection I make with clients when I create personalized artwork for them. I love seeing my work in their homes. There’s nothing like the feeling of making something to add beauty to the world that wasn’t there before and may outlast me on this earth. I hope to inspire my art students to this contentment as well!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist? Creating something new that wasn’t in the world before I made it and seeing my work bring joy to others.

The most rewarding aspect of being an art teacher? Inspiring my students to be proud of their progress and realize they can do hard things.

It is my deep belief that when young people find joy and pride in creating, they will not have the need to harm and destroy. This might be how we save the world.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

While going through a difficult time in life as a single mom of three, my art became even more of an essential side hustle. It has always been hard for me to set prices for my calligraphy services. I raised my rates and my business actually increased. I now work for an event company doing calligraphy and hand painting at department stores for promotional events. It’s surprisingly lucrative!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sarahdeacon.com
• Instagram: Sarah Deacon Calligraphy
• Facebook: Sarah Deacon Calligraphy and Custom Artwork
• Linkedin: Sarah Otto Deacon
• Twitter: @jamotusaste