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

Sarah Rose, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Prior to launching my own studio, I worked in homeless and domestic violence shelters utilizing therapeutic arts with displaced and traumatized women and children. Here, I learned the innate power of beauty and creativity in our healing process. The mere act of creating can help us tap into our own power to change, to grow, to heal, and to write a new story with our lives. Surrounding ourselves with beauty can empower us, heal us, nurture us, and help us thrive. After I began a family of my own and launched my creative career, my core mission became to bring beauty into our everyday lives; to make art accessible to everyone; and to share the abundant beauty of nature through my work.

Sarah Rose, 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 create botanical watercolor paintings that showcase the intricate details of our natural world. My paintings are often scientific in nature, illustrating the growth patterns and anatomy of a plant, or the diversity of creatures and botanicals that thrive together in an ecosystem. I recently began a series of botanical pieces in which I create compositions that reflect historic pattern motifs, marrying the history of human art with a more modern twist. I sell my original paintings and giclée prints at fine art festivals and shows around the country, as well as to my online collector’s community, In fall of 2022, I released a collection of home textiles and stationery that feature surface pattern designs I have created with my watercolor paintings. As my work expresses the beauty of our natural world, I have been dedicated to ensuring the products that I offer are created with respect to the Earth. We utilize eco-certified inks and organic materials in our production processes, and all packaging is created using recycled and biodegradable materials. This year, I have developed wholesale partnerships with retail stores in 7 states who now carry my textile collections as well as with Picture Source Somerset who offers my fine art prints to retail and commercial communities across North America.

I am a mother of five children, and the beautiful chaos that my children create is a constant source of inspiration. When we began our family, my partner Matt and I moved from Dallas to the foothills of the Carolinas so that our children could grow up surrounded by nature, with their fingers and feet in the dirt. We bought a historic property in the heart of Greenville, SC: a large two-story home, whose original structure dates back to the 1700s, set on 9 acres of land. My husband is a gardener, and as he has brought the old garden beds back to life, we have been constantly surprised by old roots finding new life once the weeds have been taken away and soil has been nourished back to health. This deep sense of place, of roots and connection and family flows into my work as I celebrate the peace and joy I experience surrounded by nature’s beauty.

We often think of beauty as something to save, to treasure and protect, rather than something to engage with and allow to permeate our way of life. One day last fall, while I was washing yet another large pile of dishes (with five kids, the housework is never ending), I was contemplating how the hell Thich Nhat Hanh could find moments like these sacred, I paused and asked myself how I could invite beauty into this very mundane daily ritual of dishwashing. From that thought, my collection of kitchen textiles was born.

My brand is simply an authentic expression of our lives lived out loud. I am a woman and mother and educator and caretaker of all things wild. Beauty matters. It belongs to and with all of us, and I have made it my mission to bring nature’s beauty to as many lives as I can.

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

It was ingrained in me from a young age that as a woman my primary place in society was to serve in the background, to support the ideas of others, to be small, and to stay quiet. It took a lot of bravery to unlearn the lies that held me back, that kept me from being in touch with my own power, and that disabled me from listening deeply to my own intuition. I was taught to look to an external power to find truth, that my mind and feelings would lead me astray, and to always be in fear of other ways of thinking and being. As a young girl, these teachings were extremely detrimental as I learned to silence my intuition and quiet my voice. As a creative, I learned to reflect rather than express. I strove for perfection, and I didn’t create from a space that was in tune with my own truth, power and joy.

I took my place in society serving others by helping them heal from their pain and create a new life for themselves utilizing therapeutic arts. I taught art, helping others find and use their voice. I do not regret these years of social work: they were hard and grueling, and they taught me the incredible power of the human spirit. But it wasn’t until I chose the long, hard journey of unraveling the web of my own story that I learned to trust my intuition and power, and to create from the core of my own truth.

I’ve lost 5 close childhood friends to suicide. Every single day that I have the honor to sit down in my studio and paint the beauty that I love and the peace that I have found, I remember them. I think of the hope and healing that beauty can bring, and the importance of creativity to tap into the well of power innate to our lives. Our voices matter. Our presence matters. To live our lives out loud, without fear and without shame, with freedom and playfulness, matters. Our truths are beautiful and unique. And only with the diversity we bring when we show up as our authentic selves can we cultivate healthy, vibrant communities.

My hope is that the beauty I create with my fingertips will cultivate a community of people who are in touch with the vast power and beauty of life, the power that is innate to each of us, and that surrounds and supports us when we open to nature’s abundance.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I am a completely self-taught creative entrepreneur. I’ve scrapped my way into learning how to paint, create compositions, design repetitive patterns, find manufacturers and develop a thriving multi-faceted business. When I began this journey, I was afraid there wasn’t room for me, that there wouldn’t be enough resources to learn from, and that if I took steps into the unknown, I would be met by people who would prey on my vulnerability and lack of knowledge. But what I have found is that the opposite is true. What I would want to share with any young creative is this:

There is more than enough room for all of us. We all have unique perspectives, unique voices, unique ideas. It is intrinsic to our humanity to create and express. And when we choose to let our light shine, the universe expands before us.

Resources for learning are everywhere and easily accessible. The creative community is one of the most generous spaces I have lived within, and with technology, we can connect with knowledge sources around the globe. Take the risk, ask the questions, open yourself up to learn and be an active, present part of our creative community. But remember, the most important resource is yourself. Learn to trust your own well of knowledge and intuition. You are more than enough.

Innate to the unknown is possibility. And with possibility there is always hope. When we have hope, fear is no longer in the driver’s seat. We can walk bravely into our unknowns, knowing risk is intrinsic to life and growth, holding on to the hope of what we are creating with our lives. Nature is abundant. She is always giving, always growing, always offering her bounty. When we choose to live bravely into our creative lives, there is an abundance of space, knowledge, support and possibility along our way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sarahroselyons.com
• Instagram: @sarahroselyons
• Facebook: @studiosarahrose
• Other: Pinterest @sarahroselyons

Image Credits
Eli Warren Wendi Matt