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

Sarah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I started my career as a creative. I worked as a graphic designer for print advertising for a decade before the 2008 recession. That’s when I decided to go to school to become a teacher. Now, 15 years later, I am so grateful that I can lean into the arts, while also loving my work in the classroom. As an avid art collector, I have been inspired to pick up the brush again. The artist community, especially in The Bronx, has welcomed me and I am now on the board of Scott Bleu Empowerment Foundation, whose mission is to uplift creatives and support their access to resources. We can’t go back and change our path, but I am so grateful to have found a creative outlet again. What’s more, the work I can do now with our non-profit, offers artists an opportunity to not have to make the same hard choices I had to make.

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

First and foremost, I’m here for the community. My vision is always geared toward supporting artists with the basic needs that will allow them to dream big. That also includes our young people. As a NYC public school teacher, I want the 1.1 million students in NYC to have an opportunity to create something beautiful. Self expression and non-conformity are two ways I celebrate my own creativity and I celebrate these in my students and my own children as well.

Originally, only painting abstracts, I’ve worked hard in the last few years to deconstruct my perfectionism-something that hindered my ability to paint with more precision. Through the support of the amazing artists in our community, I’ve broadened my capacity to paint more realistic subjects. For me, art is therapeutic and I love each of my paintings deeply. I am also an avid collector, each purchase a connection with the art and the artist.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think we missed an opportunity in NYC to support the arts in a meaningful way, especially during the shut down in 2020. We should have commissioned artists to paint public structures and for musicians to perform in every park. Art is love and love is joy. Our city’s landscape could be transformed through an investment in the arts. We needed it well before COVID, but we still need it now.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I returned home to my creative brain after a divorce. I had worked hard, did everything right and I realized I had no idea who I was or if I was happy. I walked into House of Mark West for the release party of Bleu Calf Magazine in 2019, only knowing one person, Rian Wyld. She asked me to join to support her return to the stage after her son was born. I walked into that gallery alone and left with amazing life long friends. The first people I met that night, Bleu Pablo and Paula Muniz are amazing creatives. They later opened Scott Bleu Studios in that same location. Four years later we started Scott Bleu Empowerment Foundation after one of many deep conversations about our desire to support local artists.

This journey since 2019 has been razor focused on peace and happiness. I’ve found myself, the people and things I truly love about life. Art is truly my happiest place.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @sarah_lobo
• Other: TikTok @saharabeara21

Image Credits
Bleu Pablo