Tell us about yourself, what do you like to do?

My name is Sarah Lee, like the bread. I like to write, make art, paint, draw animals with colored pencils, pens and markers. I love making jewelry. I like to write stories and illustrate them. I illustrated a book of poetry written by a family member who passed away. That was a nice connection to him.

So wonderful to carry connections through art! How did you learn about art?

I started coloring when I was really little and made silly characters and stories about them. At age 3 or 4, my mom would make gingerbread stories with me and I’d draw them out. I took a couple art classes in college and learned to draw there and so my drawing skills grew and that was fun.

What art do you like to make? Describe your creative process:

I illustrate stories, people write poems and I illustrate them. I like online graphic art too, and creating stickers on I like to use a lot of color! I am visually impaired so color is really easy to see with good contrast. Art makes me feel like I can express myself, peaceful and calm and happy. I make art for everyone that wants to enjoy it.

I love to sing! I sang a song with my uncle’s band called Nevermind – we wrote and sang the song together called “Sneak Away.”

Creativity comes to me, I have ideas, sit down and do it. Or I lay on the floor, turn music on and I get in the zone. For paintings I don’t usually know what I’m going to do in the beginning. Then I just play with it and it becomes something.

How long do your artworks take to make?

Depends on the artwork. The loom knit hats take 3 to 7 to 20 hours. If it’s a color pencil work, it takes forever. I like to make the loom hats, they’re cute. Playing with different materials is fun!

What inspires you? Favorite things to do besides art?

I like spending time with my family, enjoying planes and trains and trips. I like the world. Just watching the world go by and watching people interacting in the world. I like going on trips and seeing how the world operates differently. I like to look at other people’s art.
I like stuffed animals, they’re so gooey. The stuffed animals are characters in my stories. They do voices and stuff. I like to do photography too and take pictures of them.

I like to write and swing outside. I like to go to amusement parks. I am part of the American Coaster Enthusiasts. It’s an organization that goes to different amusement parks and has a blast. Lakeside is my favorite, it’s so cute and they’re so nice there.

What does community mean to you?

Community means the people you’re surrounded by and it makes me feel warm and happy. My community is people I really care about and are really nice. The Longmont community especially is really nice; it’s a true community.

I am part of a poetry group because artists are supposed to inspire each other. I love the poetry group. We make it a point to always accept others, and to support their art, especially when they read it in front of a crowd at the open mics.

Would you mind telling us more about your experience as an artist?

I have a vision impairment and autism spectrum disorder. I think they really play a role in who I am and the way I think.

Art is an escape. Art can be anything and artists are very inclusive. Artists are a different breed of people. I go to Poetry Clubs every week and they’re very nice and kind and inclusive.

Artists are never questioning if I can do something, not like when others might assume everything about me. You can express your feelings and make whatever you want and my poet friends don’t ever judge it or say it’s wrong.

What are you creating right now?

I want to publish my books one day. I like to write stories about my characters. A lot of crazy characters, Bahs, Mus, Mihs, and mirs. They are usually about a human who goes into this crazy world with creatures in it.I am currently writing a novel called The Light Tower. The character is bipolar; I really like to write about mental illness because it’s important for people to know it’s real and know that people are people.

Where can we see your art?:

I have an Etsy Store and Mercari store. There is an upcoming show at Access Gallery where many are participating. It’s in B&W and I am creating a Lighthouse.

I am brand new to Access Gallery but with Imagine! I put my art in their Etsy store. I really wanted to sell my art and it took some time for me to find a good inclusive job. All I want to do is make my art and figured selling it would help me achieve that and support it, but that’s harder than it seems in this world. I am hopeful for the future, that I will be able to make a true living as an artist!

View Sarah’s work for sale at the ESAI Store.
You can also visit Sarah at:
@dustydisco.art on Instagram
@dustydreamer on Redbubble