Meet a Maker - Sarah Davies

Sarah Davies kindly took part in our Leeds canvas project, painting her canvas live in s. We caught up with her via email to find out a little bit more about her.

Tell us about what you have created for our canvas project? 

Collage, a papier colle! An exercise in cutting and sticking, playing with colour and scale. And not worrying too much about the mistakes along the way.

Which materials did you use and why?

Scissors, papers and ephemera. Collage lets me work with found materials and to re-appropriate an existing object already imbued nostalgia and create a new story, image or pattern.

Where do you make most of your work?

At home and with creative friend McDonough on collaborative collage and image making (see images!!)

What are your favourite creative tools?

Scissors and glue. If in doubt cut it up.

Who are your biggest creative influences?

Everything! I love Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, Hannah Hoch, Linda Sterling, Frida Kahlo, Greyson Perry, David Hockney, Tim Walker and Lynda Barry (she has a great book 'What it is' READ IT. And my mum, I have learnt to paint, draw, sew, chop and endlessly create from watching her work.

If you could only use one material in your work, what would it be and why

Paper/found papers - I love the power to pick something up and make something beautiful from it, my materials are not precious I can cut, rip and tear to explore pattern, embellishment, shapes and colour.

What was the best exhibition or art event you went to last year?

Buchstabenmuseum, Museum of Typography, Berlin. A perfectly curated and preserved collection of letterforms from public spaces = happy eyes.

If you had a tip for artists starting out, what would it be?

Think through making. Keep producing. Learn through mistakes. Make happy accidents.