Meet Sarah Lesher, an artist partner and multidisciplinary creator whose work spans from precise printmaking to spontaneous explorations in painting, ceramics, hemp, and stone.

Inside the Artist's Mind

What does your creative process look like from start to finish? Can you walk us through the journey of a recent piece?

“I have a very specific process for printmaking, but the other work I do in painting, ceramic, hemp and stone can be much more varied and spontaneous. I’ll walk you through a new sculptural hempcrete painting I completed this week, Soft Home I.

I started by mixing hemp hurds with lime and water and then packed the mixture into a mold. After a few days, the hempcrete was dry enough to remove from the mold and then needed to dry for another day. We’re having a summer heat wave in LA right now so the drying time was faster than usual. Then I used a piece of stone I’ve been carving that’s a similar shape I’ve used before in my prints and paintings. I traced around the stone with a pencil onto a piece of paper, then cut the shape out and applied it to the surface of the hemp with tape. Then I added a layer of lime plaster (mixed with water, lime, and sand) and covered the surface of the dried hempcrete.

Once the plaster was dried, I removed the paper to reveal the shape of the stone. This part of the process was so satisfying to remove the paper and reveal the shape and texture underneath”.

What does a typical day look like for you? How do you balance your art with other aspects of your life?

“Every day is so different, but I like to have a consistent morning and prioritize physical health as much as possible. My routine changes every so often but right now it looks like waking up by 6 am and biking to pilates class at 7. After that, I have breakfast and walk my dog, Baguette. Then I’m ready to get into the studio by around 9:30 am. Some days I work in the afternoons at a part-time job, and having exercised and worked in the morning makes me feel happy and energized for the rest of the day. I also like working in the studio in the evenings to wind down sometimes. I find that when it's dark and quiet I can really get into a different state of focus, it’s hard to explain it but it feels very peaceful.

Balancing my art with other aspects of my life is a challenge that I’m constantly working on. I recently simplified my life a lot so I could balance things better and slow down. I moved my studio into my garage, traded my car for a bicycle, and started working as an apprentice for an artist in my neighborhood. Almost everything I do regularly is within walking or biking distance. All those changes have helped create more ease when it comes to getting into the studio and staying focused and healthy. ”

What inspires your work? Are there particular themes, experiences, or artists that influence your art?

“Architecture, interior design, minimalism, and nature. A particular theme for me is about creating a sense of calm and simplicity. I also have a background in brand design and creative direction, which has influenced my approach to making art”.

What are some challenges you’ve faced as an artist, and how have you overcome them?

“Oh there have been so many! Many of those challenges tend to be internal though, like not feeling good enough, or scared to reach out to people I want to potentially work with and for the opportunities I really want. I’ve had to practice not taking rejection personally and just do the things I need to get where I want to be even when it feels uncomfortable. It’s getting easier though and I’m grateful that practicing reaching out to people has helped me create so many amazing relationships and opportunities, and generally people are so kind and supportive”.

How has your art evolved over time? Are there any significant changes in your style or approach?

“My art has definitely evolved a lot over time, and I’ve experimented with so many different mediums and styles in the past few years. I’ve been making serigraph prints since 2009, and I will always love to continue making prints. Recently I’ve been more drawn to sculptural work, objects, and natural building materials. I started working with stone last year and completed my first piece in Alabaster.

Things have evolved to be more focused on materials and textures, and in the past I was much more focused on design and composition. I still approach most of my work as a design process but have become much less rigid and precise in some aspects of my practice”.

Is there a particular piece of art that holds special meaning to you? Why is it significant?

“I think my most recent piece that I made out of alabaster. It feels significant because I carved it with my own hands and was able to complete the exact vision I had been wanting to make for several months when I enrolled in a stone sculpture class. Carving stone with chisels and hand tools seemed intimidating at first, but I fell in love with the process and it was so satisfying to complete something and then have a new process to continue exploring”.

Visit Sarah’s Website

Artist Spotlight: Sarah Lesher