Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sage Serrano. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Sage, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I can truly say that I am a hybrid of both my parents. My dad is a creative director and my mom is an elementary school teacher. My parents did a great job of always supporting me but never pushed me to be anything I wasn’t. Some of my fondest memories from growing up is getting to know who my parents were through their interests and hobbies.

At the age of five, I became a member of The Early Ford V8 Club of San Diego. My dad has a passion and love for restoring classic cars, 1932 roadsters are his favorite. He is always tinkering and working on fixing up his hot rods to showcase and drive around. I went to car part swap meets and shows, we would walk the aisles looking at various car parts and vintage goods. He is the most creative person I know, always thinking and looking at the world through his design eye.

My mom has always had an eye for interior design and decorating. She was always rearranging and restoring furniture she found thrifting or at consignment shops. Painting has always been a natural talent of hers, and she would bring me along to art classes she would take. She’s so loving and caring for her family and taught me the importance of spending quality time with my family and the people you love.

As I’ve become older, I have learned to appreciate all the things my parents shared with me over the years and continue to still. My dad gave me his design eye and love for all things vintage. I can see this is where I got the knack for collecting. My mom has instilled in me the love of the hunt that comes with thrifting and being resourceful with found materials. My dad has always encouraged me to dream big and pursue my interests. I’m forever grateful to the endless amount of encouragement, support, and love my parents give me.

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.

I’m an artist native to San Diego, CA. I received my MFA in Art from San Diego State University and my BA in Visual Arts Studio with honors from UC San Diego. Since graduating I have been teaching at three different schools, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego State University, and San Diego City College. I teach various courses such as drawing, two-dimensional design, graphic design, book arts, printmaking, and life drawing. I have been balancing teaching five classes a semester while also maintaining my art practice. During the year I like to engage with the local art community by teaching various types of bookbinding, paper marbling and papermaking workshops around San Diego County at schools, libraries, museums, or with community art organizations. My artist books are held in special collections and my work has been exhibited across the United States and internationally.

For me drawing is a meditative process that helps me recollect and reflect on personal experiences or memories. My work focuses on intergenerational relationships within my family, and I use drawing as a method of documenting these subtle everyday moments of life. I come to my materials as a drawer, sculpture, and bookbinder, often using discarded found, handmade papers, or remnant materials to draw on or fold into sculptures. My drawings reflect on the juxtaposition between using biodegradable and repurposed materials to archive portraits of loved ones. Drawing for me is a method to communicate with the world around me, it is a daily practice of observing, looking, and collecting.

As an artist I’m constantly seeking a balance between spending time in the studio making, experimenting and playing while also being a wife, auntie, daughter, and sister. I thrive on spending time with my family. I’m a very proud auntie and love spending time with my three nieces making art, goofing around, and eating ice cream. My practice is so much influenced by the everyday mundane ephemera of life.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Some books that I find myself coming back to time and time again are A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit, The Art of the Fold by Hedi Kyle and Ulla Warchol, and The Zen of Seeing by Frederick Franck.

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

A lesson that I had to unlearn was being intimidated by attending art openings. I can recall a time when I was nervous to be at an opening even if I was one of the participating artists. It was all a bit overwhelming at times. I slowly got over this by actively attending many openings, consistently introducing myself, and meeting new acquaintances through friends. Over time I unlearned the feeling of anxiety and replaced it with excitement. The art world became smaller every time I attended an opening. My biggest advice for any other artist that has felt this way is to keep going and spend time looking at the work that interests you, and bring a friend.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sageserrano.com
• Instagram: @sage.serrano