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

Sara , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

My whole career as a practicing artist has been built on taking risks. From the minute I decided to start dedicating the hours my kids were in school to art, sharing my work on Instagram, selling my first piece of art, opening an Etsy shop and then establishing my own website, and switching gears a bit to teaching and coaching… these were all risks. I didn’t know what would happen when I did any of them.

I’m an experiential decision-maker (a term I just made up) – I need to try something before I know if I want to do it or not. It’s quintessential “throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.” So, for every idea or lightbulb moment I have, I need to test it first to see if I’m going to pursue it further. Simply not knowing what the outcome will be makes it a risk.

In the early days of my art-making, I knew I wanted to start selling my paintings, but—like most beginning artists—I was scared. I was scared no one would buy them, that they weren’t good enough, and that I was asking for too much money. All of it was nerve-wracking, so to lessen the focus on myself, I offered my first paintings for purchase as part of a fund-raising opportunity. Our brains are funny – even though this was my work, and I was giving it to people in exchange for a charity donation, it somehow allowed me an extra buffer. I didn’t feel so timid about asking. The added benefit of giving back made purchasing my work more attractive to a wider audience, which also helped boost my confidence. After that fundraising effort, it was less intimidating to put a price on my artwork and trust that the right people would find it and want it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It’s always been my happy place, my refuge, and how I find grounding amidst the chaos of life.

Around seven years ago, natural shifts in my life allowed me to make art a central part of life. For the first time, I started to consider it a career option. I assigned the hours of the day my kids were away at school to diligent art-making, becoming a practicing artist for the first time in my life. My painting practice grew, and my work began selling well.

I was new to the art world. There were opportunities I’d never considered that became available to me and others I thought I wanted. Still, I wouldn’t learn until I tried them out that some didn’t feel authentic to who I wanted to be or the career I wanted to create for myself.

Through everything, I’ve always shared bits of insight, artistic tips, thoughts to consider, and words of encouragement on Instagram and in my newsletter. I enjoy hearing feedback from followers and readers that something I shared gave them confidence or helped them make a beneficial mind shift. Over the years, in an organic way, this became a natural value of my “brand”. I inadvertently stepped into a semi-teaching role.

In 2022, I was invited to participate as a teaching artist at a women’s art and travel retreat. I’d never officially taught before and, ironically, needed to teach myself how to teach. I didn’t want to talk someone through how to create a look-alike of the art I make. I wanted to teach them how to dig deep, discover their voice and style, and articulate that using abstract painting as their vehicle of communication.

That’s how my course, Visually You, was born. I reverse-engineered my own process, really picking apart what happens within myself as I’m working. What I discovered is that I use a process that leans heavily into somatic and emotional awareness, mindfulness, writing, and reflection. The more times I taught Visually You, the more I realized I love watching students light up when they see their own inner wisdom bubble up through their artwork.

I began offering art journaling consults (I use art journaling as a regular practice to explore art development and self-awareness) but quickly realized I wasn’t fully equipped to hold space for and guide individuals through the process. At that point, I paused the individual consults and focused on getting the training I needed. I’m now certified as both a Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach and a Mindful Art Teacher.

The combination of these trainings, along with my background as an artist, helps me guide clients through the creative process in a relaxed and gentle manner. I’m always very forward with the fact that I am not an art therapist, and the work we do together is not art therapy. Still, the time we spend together and the work we do can positively impact the client’s contentment and sense of well-being – it’s a verified side-effect of being active in the creative process.

We talk about what they want to do and what blocks they might be facing, and then we work through them—often addressing issues like fear, perfectionism, overwhelm, lack of direction, lack of time, negative self-talk, etc. Meeting clients wherever they are, practicing mindfulness, and finding joy in the process in whatever ways we can all play significant roles in my coaching.

For me, my art is my lifeline – my connection to myself. It’s how I know myself and make sense of my relationships, the world around me, and how I fit into it all. I feel a bit untethered when I’m not engaging with creativity, and I know I’m not alone. Clients often tell me the work we do together is some of the most significant work they do because it feels like they are honoring a deep and important part of themselves. It feels wonderfully satisfying to me that I have the privilege of guiding creatives along this journey in meaningful ways.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was that there is only one right way to do things.

Of course, some things need to be done in a certain order to achieve a particular result. That’s true.

But we’re taught from a young age that many things MUST BE DONE A CERTAIN WAY because that’s “just the way it is” or because it’s the expectation of our society.

But things mustn’t ALWAYS be done as “society” (or, in this case, the art world) expects. You have freedom.

When I was new to the art world, I took an acrylic painting to the print shop to be scanned. I wasn’t sure if I should have sealed it, so I asked the shop’s owner.

We had a longer, more nuanced conversation about pros and cons, what other artists do or don’t do, whether to do it before or after scanning, what effect it might have (or not have) on the final piece or its integrity, and my ultimate preference as the artist.

I’ll never forget what he said at the end of our conversation: “You are the artist. You can do whatever you want”. (BOOM! Mind blown!)

I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT.

That statement has stuck with me ever since, and I’m guessing it’s played a pretty significant role in how my art and career have developed. It gave me permission to tune into what I wanted and follow my gut.

I am the authority, not anyone else.

I believe this applies to everything, not just art.

You’re the artist of your art, but you’re also the artist of your days, your weeks, your years. You’re the artist of your career, your life. Creativity plays a role in everything.

Now read that statement again:
“You’re the artist. You can do whatever you want”.

How does that change your perspective? What stifling rule or expectation is holding you back that you could release, enabling yourself to live into your authentic creativity?

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

To me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is creating opportunities for people to experience delight.

I’ve spent many years not really sure where I fit into the art world. Did I want to be a gallery artist? Pursue shows and exhibitions? Public art? Commercial art? Write a book? Teach? I’ve invested significant time in testing different avenues to see what feels the most authentic and life-giving to me.

What I’ve learned is that what I value the most is the ability to give the gift of delight and joy.

If I can share that with someone through my artwork, then hooray! I love it. If I can create a class or workshop that lights someone up inside—gah! That’s amazing. If I can make the days feel full and rich by guiding someone through coaching and watching the joy percolate in them one session at a time, beautiful!

What I love, L.O.V.E., love – is watching someone experience joy through creativity – whether it’s through the fruits of mine or the experience of their own.

Contact Info:

• Website: saraschroederart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/saraschroederart
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/saraschroederstudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMcR9oFYok0zd2Qf5UEUJ7Q
• Other: Pinterest www.pinterest.com/saraschroederart

Image Credits
Sara Schroeder: Sara Schroeder Art Journal Work, Sara Schroeder Visually You exercise, and Sara Schroeder Journal Work Vance Schroeder: Sara Schroeder Solo Exhibition Natalie Medrana-Cervera of Suna Photography: Sara Schroeder Teaching, Sara Schroeder Journaling, Sara Schroeder Painting Large Work, Sara Schroeder Teaching Studio,