Venus

Here is a new painting that is nearly done:  Venus revisiting the place of her birth:

Portfolio Stuff

So I finally go around to photographing a few of my pieces that I never had a good picture of.   I thought you might like to see them.

Busy Holiday Season

If I wasn't busy enough with my art efforts for the holiday season, the local paper, Vancouver Voice requested the use of my crowning picture for a feature article on home birth.  I was in absolute shock and very breathless when I saw that they had put it on the cover!

Coming up this month are a few exciting events:


Stray Gallery's December 3rd show is Go Not Gently into this Good Night: The Neo-romantics present artistic explorations of death.  I am working diligently on a triptych of a war and death goddess, the Morrigan.  I have incorporated both traditional and new-age elements into this work.  For example, the addition of the three phases of the moon as halos.  However, the majority of the symbols are from the Red Branch Cycle of Irish legends.

Washer at Ford,Warrior Queen, Hag with Milk by Sara Star

The Free Modeling Guild is participating in a Holiday Bazaar at Jantzen Beach Mall Community Center December 4-5th.  I have made a bunch of new mounted prints for this. They are all currently listed in my Etsy Store and the Black Friday-Cyber Monday sale is 10% off.



Additionally, Angst Gallery where I showed in October has asked me to drop by a few pieces for their December show as well.

Painting a week: Tillikum

This is Tillikum, a Sea World Killer Whale.

Study for Tillikum

I saw Tillikum at a Sea World in Victoria B.C. when I was a young girl.

My brother with Tillikum or one of his wives in Victoria BC

Since that time he has fathered 16 children and killed three humans. I have an interest in the evolving perceptions of whales, from Free Willy, Keiko, who I also saw in person as a teenager,

Keiko aka Free Willy at Newport Aquarium

to a food and energy source for local Coastal Tribes, and to Moby Dick.

Concept photo for Moby Dick Movie slated to hit the small screen.

I think I know which of these is Tillikum's idol.

This little painting is a study of Tillikum for a larger painting about the Sea World Orcas.

Study for Tillikum and the little model I used to aid with proportions.

I used a combination of memories of Whales I had seen in aquariums, a little model of a female orca I picked up at the beach, and photos of Tillikum on the web. Then I remembered my own family photos of whales, so I will utilized those for future paintings of the orcas.

A Place for Us

Sara Star and Toni Partington at Voice Catcher Pre-release Party

I participated this year with an incredible non-profit that makes an anthology of NW Women writers, and this year for the first time, included art as well. What a phenomenal experience let me tell you. The way it worked was that the writing submissions were accepted and reviewed first, and then the art was accepted and reviewed.  The synchronicity of art and writing was amazing. Among the many incredible poems and short stories, was a story that matched near exactly my painting triptych Vagina Nightmares, it is named Vulvar Fantasies--could you get any more similar without it being planned?

Of course there were many other similarities, but for me, and I am sure many others this was a very striking similarity. This anthology has been coming out annually for five years now. And I often hear accusations from young men that it is ridiculous that women need their own anthology and that it is reverse sexist. I never agreed, but after participating with this incredible group of women, I am armed more strongly with the rightness of this publication. The choice of a women's anthology is not because these writers couldn't compete with male writers or vice versa, this annual creates a theme, an experience unique to a certain demographic and that is so very clear when the art is paired with the writing. It is something that women will read and identify with and a point of strength and a place of power building that everyone should have a right to create for their demographic.

Vagina Nightmares Triptych by Sara Star

I participate also with a group of artist who feel alienated, representational artists. Local abstract and pop artists and enthusiasts make the same accusations of us, why can't we participate in the main art scene (we do) and why do we need to exclude non-representational art? We use our theme based club to create power, to define a theme and to touch a specific experience in its own place. Our work often goes together better than it ever does against a pop art piece. There is a unity of experience and expression. The same goes for this uniquely female and NW anthology.

It seems the choice for both Voice Catcher and the Neo-Romantics breeds a bit of suspicion and a tiny bit of jealousy (maybe?).  There are jokes and attempts to intrude. This is perhaps natural, when a group in the majority feels it is still the minority and is wary of other minority groups taking some power away. This a scarcity model, and I believe there is abundance and a creative endeavor is the greatest sort of energy for creating new markets rather than taking from existing pools.  There are no less opportunities for men to publish their writing due to women's publications, and no less opportunities for abstract artists when representational artists open a new gallery.

Dreams do come true

Sara sleeping with Fey in a bed of her hair by Sara Star

Recently I have had some seemingly crazy dreams.

I described my dream studio.
While leafing through art history books, I dreamt of seeing my work/name in one.
I promised myself a real gallery show by the time I turned 30.

All these dreams are coming true now.

My husband saw my blog entry about studios. And told me to turn our living room into my studio. It has north light in a huge window, it has moldings that can be converted into a gallery hanging systems, it is next to the kitchen with plenty of extra cupboards and a sink. I had never thought of the living room space in that way before!

An art historian contacted me this week for inclusion in a book she is publishing. Woohoo!

And of course, I had quite a few gallery shows before I turned 30, and many to come after! My most exciting one coming this October!

Taking care of my internet presence has made a huge difference in these dreams coming true. You have to put yourself out there to get noticed!

American Cancer Society Angels Benefit

Deconstructed by Sheila Hutchison

The Neo-Romantics are hosting an Angel themed benefit for the American Cancer Society. 30% of proceeds from art sales will be donated to the American Cancer Society for cancer research.

Both of my mother's parents died of cancer before I was born. Sheila Hutchison, the artist of the Deconstructed Angel, is a breast cancer survivor and she volunteers helping others who have cancer through the American Cancer Society.

American Cancer Society Angels Benefit Art Exhibit
September 3rd, 2010 5pm to 9pm
2011 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660-2636
(360) 695-8215

July Show

Recent work by Sara Star* and the Neo-Romantics at Stray Gallery in our New Location

June Show

Imagine what I dream about and what haunts my nightmares:

Nightmare with Crow by Sara*

Sara sleeping with Fey in a bed of her own hair by Sara*