Spotlight | Sarah Walker, Artist
A bright, colourful artist with an oeuvre to match.
Published on 27 November 2019
Photography by Morgan Smith
Sarah Walker is a freelance creative — basically a clever, artistic person who can drum out work that we couldn’t even dream up. From bright, colourful paintings to the infamous banana cushion at Ground Up, Sarah does it all. We sat down with the talented local to chat about owning your style, pre-children sleep-ins, and what being a professional artist really means.
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First things first: why Toowoomba?
My fam moved to Brisbane when I was nine, much to my heartbreak. I did not like leaving me friends! I had a tumultuous time during early teens and into early adult life; I ended up back here for stability. The connections with childhood friends have been reignited, and super awesome and healing. Toowoomba has always felt like home. Also it’s pretty. Brisbane is not, but I got told by Brisbanites that I was spoiled from living in the ‘Garden City’ — my response is that every city should be a garden city then!
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What does being a full-time artist mean to you?
I’m predominantly a painter in acrylics, but also a Freelance Creative (that’s my fancy self designated title that covers a lot of random creative things that I do, like designing and crocheting amigurumi characters, book illustrations, commissioned murals for kids etc).
My motifs are vivid colour usage, my imagination, and a mild obsession with weird coloured fruits and made up moths. I’m not a realist, not a surrealist, but probably a little of both. My work seems to resonate with those who a little left of centre and a little quirky, who have ‘seen it all’ yet still desire to see something different! I’m also finding that my work speaks to those who have always wanted to be a little bolder in expressing themselves, but haven’t quite found the courage to yet! So I be my unique little bold self, and help others to bring that out in themselves as well.
I started the fruit painting thing from a literal interpretation of ‘Spiritual Fruit’ in the Christian Bible. I found it really intriguing, and explored that through unnaturally coloured and shaped fruits- straight blue bananas anyone?
The moths have been a recent addition, they stem from having an Entomologist for an Uncle. He had a sweet coffee table that was a specimen table, the bugs, moths, butterflies and other insects were super fascinating to my child self, and I’ve picked that up in my work. Also moths are totally misunderstood and even feared, and I have no idea why, and I think I relate to being misunderstood throughout my life!
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What have you learned about running a business in Toowoomba?
I have learned that people love a new business straight up, but then it can easily dwindle off once the novelty wears off. It’s also a lot about people connections, and if you don’t know a lot of people it can be hard to break into business circles, however there are lots of networking things that happen.
Being an artist is easy for the painting side, and flipping hard for the business side! I don’t quite fit into any box easily, so it has been hard sometimes trying to still push through with my voice, and not give in to painting what’s popular around here, just to sell a piece. I would say that that’s probably a challenge you face as an artist anywhere, but it’s a bit more noticeable with Toowoomba because the tastes are still more on the conservative side. And my colour usage is anything but conservative!
What does an average day look like for you?
Drag our family butts out of bed because none of us are morning people (seriously, why can’t we run on European style time!?!), manage to do all the school things, and vaguely get my child to school on time. Then either a run or workout straight after, and a much needed alone coffee time. Then there’s multiple hours at the easel, and usually a forgotten lunch crammed in before racing back to school for the pick up time. Errands, playing with the small one, the dinner/bathtime circus (parents you know what I mean!), and time with the Husband, before crashing to bed to do it all again. Oh and in there is all the social media time, online gallery listings, photographing and colour correction editing of paintings, and all the business side of things. Plus a do a couple of volunteer things as well that get added into the week!
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What does your ideal Toowoomba weekend look like?
I would sleep in until like 10.30 am, but children get hungry and don’t know the meaning of sleeping that late! Usually silly family time starts early Saturday mornings with coffee and pastry at either Ground Up or The Baker’s Duck, some delicious suckling pig sliders from Toni’s Continental Butcher, park time at Queens or Laurel Bank, followed by poking around in our garden together, and a beer at Tapestry (apple juice for the wee one because we’re good parents). Sunday is our church morning at Living Grace, and I sing and play the old ivories there too often. Get the bogan roots on with some Crackerjack chicken for lunch, and family time in the arvo. And probably another beer.
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Only a Toowoomba local would know…
About the rivalry between Crackerjack Chicken and Super Rooster… according to my husband.
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FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
PERK UP: Ground Up
RELAX: I am a book nerd so I love the awesomeness that is our library. It is my candy shop.
EAT: Kajoku, Sofra’s, Everest Spice.
INDULGE: the Barefoot Massage at The Fours near Coles in Grand Central. You will legit get walked on, and your spine will crack, and your muscles will relax and you’ll just ooze on out of there.
SHOP: A’lia Collective on Duggan St. She has a shop that is an experience, as well as being lovely. It’s full of Afghan, Indian, and other clothes, jewellery etc. Beautiful Arabic perfume oils too. And I love Absolutely Fab on Ruthven St. Quirky, colourful things to find in there too.
CATCH UP: Can I say Ground Up again? Because I am kind of part of the furniture there. In fact I made the cushions that used to be there, and the banana seat that sits out the front. I even have a dress I made of that fabric. I made the dress first, then the seat. For a while I couldn’t wear the dress to the cafe, but now I do and just own my urban camouflage abilities like a boss.
BE INSPIRED: Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery — because art! The myriad of stunning parks and gardens we have, particularly Laurel Bank.
