We were lucky to catch up with Sabrina Squires recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sabrina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
One thing that people are always looking for in art is meaning. I’ve found that the stronger the story behind the piece, the more my audience will connect. I know I’ve succeeded when someone connects their own personal stories and shares deep connections I never would’ve found on my own. I recently sold a piece to the sister of a friend. I did a small art show in the living room of my current live-work space for her family, and it was rewarding to watch them look through the pieces and see which ones “spoke to them”. Finally one did. It was a lovely piece of a High Uintas meadow at the peak of wildflower season. I paint on National Geographic pages, and my goal is to let the images on the pages peek through the layers of paint. The interesting thing about what attracted her to the piece was the story that unfolded as she looked at it. The images in the background from the magazine pages resembled a city to her–she saw a faint urban backdrop between the trees of a forested wildflower meadow. As she realized this, she explained how it reminded her of Central Park, an oasis in the middle of the daily grind, and how she could picture a city child daydreaming of the forest while walking down the streets of a crowded city. She renamed the piece “High Uinta Harlem”, and then asked me if what I did was intentional, to which I had to reply I’d never seen any of that when making the piece. She ended up buying that piece, and it now resides in their Colorado cabin, a place specifically used as an oasis escape from city and urban life.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
There is something deeply rewarding about creating. I’ve watched my young students, even in their beginnings, come alight when they succeed in making something attractively meaningful. This drive challenges me to filter my experiences through a uniquely personal lens which I can then open to others for adding their own interpretations. The process of adding layers of human meaning to a piece of art enriches it, allowing it to grow exponentially through each person who views it. Layers are a theme in my work, which begins with a layer of altered National Geographic pages and builds through coats of ink, charcoal, and acrylic paint. Mixed media allow me to explore the vibrant hues, varying textures, and organic lines found in nature. I am an avid backpacker and spend much of my time foraging the wilderness for the beauty that takes a fair amount of effort to find. I am also a deeply spiritual and colorful soul, which is readily apparent in my paintings–I find it challenging to limit my palette. Bringing back images of nature from my adventures and portraying them in textural vibrancy not only give me a voice and opportunity to communicate, but also a position to influence others in a thought-provoking way. Some pieces are straightforward–a lovely lake or delicate flower can speak for itself. Others are conceptually deeper, becoming vehicles to various thoughts that are important to share. I tend towards illustrating spiritual concepts. One I find myself returning to often is the idea of a peaceful apocalypse, where health is restored to the relationships between man, beast, and the natural world. Nature transports people to places of quiet contemplation, both of the world outside of them and the one deep within. In the end, my paintings beg viewers to remember the beauties of nature, the existence of the spirit, and the importance of the connection between them. I grew up in Idaho Falls, ID, with a family who supported my artistic abilities from a young age. I moved to Provo, UT, where I still reside, to earn a BFA in Studio Arts, Emphasis in Painting, from Brigham Young University. I enjoy painting daily in my home studio and participate in the local art scene as well as national and international art competitions. I also teach art at a charter school in Orem, Noah Webster Academy, where I teaches art to approximately 530 students ages 5-12. My first art-teaching job was in the Dominican Republic, where I learned Spanish from the children I taught. I still use that skill in my teaching today, since a large number of her current students are from Central and South America and are in the process of learning English.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
As a teacher, the biggest obstacle I run into is overcoming the self-doubt that stands between a person and their abilities. I once read a book that talked about how people expect themselves to be able to draw realistically by the age of ten, and if they can’t, they abandon any hopes and aspirations, resigning themselves to “only being able to draw stick figures” or not being able to “draw a straight line”. Those who consider themselves “non-creatives” would be surprised to see how creative they really are. Artistic ability is important to foster from a young age because it creates a zone where the young artist makes the rules, and their imagination is the limit! The ability to be creative will serve them in whatever career or hobbies they pursue, whether they continue art into adulthood or explore other professions. Creativity manifests in marketing, culinary cuisines, writing, vacation planning, curriculum and lesson planning, fashion and graphic design, and so many other professions. Before pegging yourself in a hole, think about your life and see where and how your creative genius manifests.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
As an outdoorswoman, resilience is an important skill to develop. If I want to get to the top of a mountain, if I want to return from a 30-mile backpacking trip, or if I want to paddle back to shore through stormy seas, then I can’t give up. Having a vision and goal make it possible to physically and mentally prepare and make the drive a reality. I really have to want it, or the hardships will derail me. My art career has been very similar. One story that comes to mind is when a group of us got a pass to go through Orderville Canyon in Zion National Park. This is a story that not only illustrates braving adverse conditions, but also coming back from risky choices. Orderville is around 12 miles itself, with the last 2 miles exiting through the Narrows. When we arrived the morning of to check conditions, the flood risk was on probable–one step away from flooding being expected. We made a group decision to do the canyon anyways–we’d driven all the way down and thought if we hurried, we could beat the storm. The canyon has 3 small rappels, and when we went over the last one, it really started coming down. Again we consulted as a group, trying to decide is we should find higher ground or make a run for it. In the end, we decided to run. We had one mile left of Orderville–where the walls are so narrow you can reach out and touch them at many points, and the downclimbs were numerous– and then 2 final miles through the Narrows. Something in me took over, and I just started running, flying over the obstacles that I usually took with meticulous care. When I finally calmed down and got ahold of myself, I was able to go back and help others in my group who being more careful. We finally made it through the narrow section that emptied into the Narrows, where foreign tourists enjoying and photographing the large waterfalls pouring over the sides of the canyon. I yelled at them to get out as we ran by. When we finally made it to the beginning, there were large signs labeling the canyon closed for imminent flooding; in fact, the entire park was closed, complete with warnings on the news of flooding. I’ve been back to the Narrows many times, and every time I cross the intersection with Orderville, I’ll hike up it a bit, trying to figure out how I made it down the obstacles so fast when I needed to. Being an artist is the same wherein people will warn you against it, saying there are too many challenges, but I chose not to listen, and while it’s been an adventure with obstacles I can honestly look back on and marvel at how I ever overcame them, it certainly has paid off. I’ve found ways to be resilient, to become the best at my craft that I can, to learn marketing and teaching skills, and optimize networking and social skills. This journey is the way I was always meant to go, and I’m grateful I remained true to it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sabrinajill.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrina.jill.3/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabrinacollagepaintings/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-squires-46891a29a/
Image Credits
Megan Squires