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

Sarah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I don’t think I ever would have pursued selling my art as my full time job if it weren’t for COVID19. I know that may be crazy to say, because a lot of negative things came from the pandemic. But for creatives like myself, quarantine and then my temporary furlough, were a blessing. I was working a part time job at a retail store at the time; living paycheck to paycheck and not finding a ton of joy or fulfillment. I would come home and paint in my closet (I lived in San Francisco then, and surface area was limited) when I got the chance. But I remember being so exhausted from work, that I wasn’t painting as often as I wanted. So, you can imagine I was pretty thrilled when sent home on a temporary furlough. I had all the time in the world to paint. This is when I really started developing my style and playing with resin for the first time. A few weeks later, I went back to work and I was permitted to display my paintings in the classroom for all my fellow coworkers to see. I remember being so nervous! My art had never left the house before, let alone be seen by the eyes of other people. But my coworkers loved my work; they praised it and boosted my confidence. Within weeks I was selling little sets of coasters to friends and coworkers. Soon after that I opened an Etsy shop. Everything “snowballed” from there. I quit my job a few months after being back from furlough, and I haven’t been back to work for anyone but myself since.

Sarah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a resin and fluid artist creating both functional home décor and fine art. I utilize both resin and acrylic paint to create my art. I have always had a very scientific brain with a love for the scientific method. With a degree in Marine Science, and a love for experimentation, it is not only the finished piece that appeals to me, but the entire process. I use my passion for nature to incorporate organic shapes, and harness natural movement in my art. The ocean, and nature in its entirety, is a constant source of inspiration. I’ve always had a fondness for bright and bold colors; and adding a “color pop” with a one-of-a-kind piece of art is a great to bring joy to a room. That is the main goal of my art; to bring joy to it’s new owner by reminding them of the connection we all have with nature.

Sarah Lee Studio strives to donate a portion of the profits to supporting organizations that prioritize ocean health, environmental causes, and the protection of animals.

When I’m not painting, I’m either petting a dog, walking through the woods, eating cheese, or spending time with family.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media is something that is constantly changing. I think the most important thing to realize is that you are never going to be above learning new things. I still haven’t cracked the code to getting thousands of followers. But social media is not just a numbers game. It is more powerful to have 200 super engaged followers that actually want to buy your art, than it is to have 50,000 followers that don’t. I will say it is good to diversify your social media platforms. Different generations use different platforms, and if you want to reach them all, you need to post to multiple platforms. But definitely use what is best for your brand and do your best to target the audience that is going to benefit from your content.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The beautiful thing about a creative journey, is the goal can remain the same, while the methods can change. A long standing goal of mine has always been to be the reason a new piece of land, or species was protected. One thing you need to know about me is my focus is almost always on the natural world. I earned my degree in marine science because I was determined to conduct research that would provide the insight that was needed to protect some undetermined piece of nature. In this hypothetical dream goal, my research would support legislation that was put in place to protect a piece of ocean from overfishing, or boat traffic, or literally anything. I wanted a cascading effect to take place because of something I did in the scientific field. But, with time I discovered the scientific world wasn’t meant to stay on my path, and I am not following a creative journey. I realize I can achieve the same goal of contributing to preserving our natural world by creating art that is an inspiration to others.

Perhaps my art can inspire a person to go take a trip to the ocean, or to scuba dive and visit a coral reef, and then they contribute to creating the legislation of protection laws.
So my mission has always been the same; to inspire a connection and love for the natural world and know that it is worth protecting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mailchi.mp/b62fb119848c/product-gallery
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahleestudio_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahLeeStudios
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SarahLeeStudio