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

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

In the world of Art, concepts are changing constantly and it’s what excites me most about it. Currently in the world of Art, I see now more than ever, a sense of honesty. On Instagram, you see artists, florists, designers, and illustrators just doing what comes naturally to them and in so many ways, that makes them more successful. I find that the people who gain traction and get attention for their work are doing the thing that is most approachable for them. This sense of honesty creates a true approachability to the art world. Some of the most exciting work I see these days are artists creating work without fluff.

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?

My name is Sarah Huber. I am an Artist based out of California specializing in photography, painting, and illustration. When I was a teenager, I was highly immersed in the early days of Instagram and Tumblr photography. I got into the sphere by experimenting and being open to failure, honestly because I didn’t take it very seriously. When I went to university, I wanted to pursue photography as a career. Much of my education was centered around 19th century printing processes and analog photography which taught me so much about the fine art world. I gained such a well rounded understanding of the Art world including how to have a gallery show, what it takes to build a commercial business, the historical significance of the medium, and most importantly, how to align your identity with your work.

Currently, I work as a photographer in the restaurant industry which excites me greatly, but I also create works on commission for freelance clients. Many of the commissioned works I make are in the realm of abstract painting and illustration. My favorite part about client work is the puzzle-piecing. When someone comes to me with an idea, it often morphs so incredibly by the end. It can be challenging to sort through someone else’s thoughts and try to gain an understanding of what they want.

They say “I love your abstract paintings, I want one that is red, pink, and yellow” but what they mean is “My mom used to tell me when I was young that I had a firey spirit. I lost her 10 years ago and wish to be reminded of her more often, could you paint something that looks like how she used to describe me?”

Often, clients may not even know what they want until the project is finished. That excites me. It gives me an opportunity to show them something unexpected and get to know them. That’s where expertise comes in. The phrase “the customer is always right” has always bothered me. The client just has to trust that you know better, that you will provide them with work that fits their brief but exceeds expectation. I have always been fascinated with communication and the intricacies of the human experience. There is always something that draws someone to a piece of artwork. In a way, that’s all there is – the things we love in life, they are our makeup. How you decorate your home, who you spend your time with, what you put on in the morning, and what art you want to see day after day. The facets of life that make it meaningful are the tiny ways you interact with it. That is my favorite part about client work – seeing the ways in which people are drawn to something within themselves through it. Even if the canvas is full of color, it always serves as a mirror.

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

Over the course of my career, I had to unlearn that “being many things is bad”. In the world of branding and online presence, it can be seen as an irresponsible business model to create with many mediums. To me, any creativity feeds all creativity. The staircase to your destination is a spiral, not a slope. In other words, no time is wasted when being creative. To feed the vision in photography, it’s possible you have to create intricate bouquets for days, weeks, or years. To force a vision in one medium will never be worth losing interest in all of them.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I made a drawing a few years ago that wrote “our art changes as we change”. My goals in my creative journey have morphed significantly over the years. I always say, anyone who knew me a year ago, doesn’t know me now. That’s to say, I am constantly changing and (hopefully) evolving. My artwork does too. When I was just starting to take my artwork seriously, my goals may have sounded like, “build a successful business and develop a large following/clientele.” Now my goals sound like, “above all else – take care of yourself, more creating less over-analyzing, always be open to learn.”

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sarahhuberart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarhubs www.instagram.com/lowmaintenanceart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-huber-18276b107/

Image Credits
Sarah Huber