Artist's Statement

Historically the artist's statement was called the artist's apology, perhaps that is why I feel compelled to apologize in advance at any discomfort associated with the reading of an artistic statement. My work draws on a number of sources and inspirations and I try to let the form be lead by the idea, rather than vice versa.

Who: Sarah Haxby

What: Multimedia artist.
         Primary media: paint, 2D multimedia, creative writing
         Secondary media: textile arts, drawing, event coordination
         Tertiary media: sculpture, performance art, dance

When: contemporary artist with some anachronistic leanings

Where: wherever I happen to be... most work is created in the studio, but performance work and installation            art often only exists in a site-specific location.
           Most of my work has been created in Canada, recent works have been created in Wales.

Why: a mix of personal inspiration, academic art interest & community-level cultural engagement

How Much: email me for price quotes.

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I would prefer that the work speak for itself, and as they say a picture says a 1,000 words, I'll try to keep my spoutings and explanations concise; especially after a recent conversation with an art supervisor in which I stated that I preferred not to speak to much about my work, because one of the things I think my work does, when it is working well, is to stimulate ideas within the viewer. I believe that within the process of interpretation and the possible to create a story, or to evoke an association or idea within the viewer of the image is when my work is most alive.
The supervisor still wanted me to interpret the content of some of the new pieces, which I attempted in a palaver of connotative verbiage and 'artspeak' suffused both with genuine sentiment and riddled with disingenuous attempts to seem conceptually grounded; when in fact I am more of an intuitive practitioner; happiest swimming in a creative sea following currents of impulse and obsession... so I was rather bemused when my supervisor dryly observed that he "preferred it when I was mute about the content of my work."I believe I agree with him, sometimes it is better to say less about one's work. Perhaps it is with  good reason why Pitura, the Greek Muse of Painting (and visual arts) was traditionally depicted with a symbolic gag over her mouth.