Interview

May 14

Sarah Kalnins

Born and raised in Canada, Sarah is half Irish and Latvian. With working a 9-5 job in sales, marketing and customer service for over 20 years, she is now a full-time artist. Sarah is also writing and creating children’s books where she will also be writing and creating the art for her books herself.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“My journey started as a young child in school; always exceeding in art classes. My love for drawing and doodling on everything in school made my heart grow so dear to expressing my love for nature’s beauty. I loved beautiful skies and water and trees. My grandfather was a well-known oil painting artist named Norman Bratty, who taught me the ways of oil painting and how to capture natures beauty and put it on canvas.”

What inspires you?

“Nature inspires me. My love for animals and true beauty in this world. Though, I had a very hard life growing up in poverty and learning how to use what you got around you, I developed my unique art expression with using only highlighters and simple LED Christmas lights. I discovered my vision sitting in the dark. I discovered orange, pink and yellow highlighters light up under blue LED lights. My soul lit up in joy and that started my passion for expressing my minds vision.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“My message in my work is, ‘What is simple color in the day light, comes to magical life in the dark.’ I was in a 15-year toxic abusive relationship which I finally grew the courage to end in 2022. I spent most of my life living in the dark, where I suffered from addiction to drugs and alcohol which I also overcame. When I finally understood how to love my own self completely, like a rising phoenix I flew up from the ashes and into the light. I remembered who I truly am and wanted to show that no matter what life throws at you, you will always have a soul purpose to help guide you through the dark into the light.”

How would you describe your work?

“I would describe my work as imaginative. I learned how to transmute anger and negativity into creative images. I took what was in my mind’s eye and converted it onto canvas. I would ask the universe to show me the image on canvas and then it’s like I’m tracing what I see and just simply draw it, only to realize I have a true gift that I must share with the world. What is simple orange, pink and yellow in the day, is magically bright and brought to life in the dark. You must find the balance and utilize both dark and light to create beautiful pieces of art.”

Which artists influence you most?

“Vincent Van Gogh was always my favourite. His unique ways of simple lines and brush strokes put together always created such beauty. Despite his life struggles, he still made beautiful art. I’ve always thought I was very much the same as him with my own life experiences. Also of course, my grandfather was also a huge influence for me with his gift of painting and after he passed away when I was 17, I always felt it was part of my soul life purpose to continue the artist family legacy.”

“I would describe my work as imaginative. I learned how to transmute anger and negativity into creative images. I took what was in my mind’s eye and converted it onto canvas.”

What is your creative process like?

“Well, growing up with little money, I always knew to simply use what you got. So, I took a package of dollar store highlighters and a pad of canvas paper gifted to me from family, sat in my room quietly and just drew what my mind’s eye would show me. Then, I saw my art come life under the LED blue lights. What’s beautiful in the day light is just as beautiful if not more magical in the dark.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“I believe that the artist’s role in society is to simply be your true self. Find your inner light and create the beauty you see in this world. Never give up on your dreams and paint draw and color what the world needs right now. True, honest inner and outer beauty using what ever is around you at the time. There is art and beauty in everything around us. We just need to open are eyes to see it. I see art evolving because every persons mind is different. What the artist sees might be a totally different image then what others see. But that’s how I think all art work is created. Take what the artist sees in their mind and create beautiful art with their imagination and show the world your love of creation.”