SARAH MARK
About
Sarah Mark is a Detroit-based artist working in the fields of fiber art, clothing design and installation art. Her work has an ethereal and meditative quality about it where she explores organic, repetitive shapes and patterns found in nature as well as bold geometric inspirations from around the globe. She draws inspiration from nature, her spiritual journey, being a mother, and connecting with her community. She uses almost entirely re-purposed materials with an obsession for textural combinations, often playing with graduated tones and adding pops of vibrant colors. Her labor-intensive pieces range from abstract to narrative, tiny to life-size, spatial installations to wearable garments, all with an underlining current of exploring created being’s relationship to The Creator. She enjoys finding meaning in the textiles themselves in relation to metaphorical meanings as well as the fiber’s origin stories & life span.
Sarah is currently working on a clothing collection merging her combined fashion design & fiber art backgrounds, spanning two decades. The collection is inspired by monastic hours of prayer and exploring themes of clothing, identity, motherhood, ancestry ties, spiritual rituals, and human relationships to creation and The Divine Creator. Upon completion there will be an exhibition/performance, a series of illustrations, a book of photography, and she will be gifting each clothing piece to members of her community.
PAST PROJECTS
36" x 28'
fabric, vinyl, thread
2009-2015
Birth of a new beginning
Repetitive motions carve new pathways
The healing journey deepens
The grief of a life deceased
From a swift choice
One day of 3700 souls
Float from one reality to the next
Once invisible, now reflecting the glory of the Creator
Beloved Child
Hope
If you'd like to read more about the story behind this work, please visit my blog page.
EMMA HOPE
ELOHIM
30” x 72”
Fabric, thread, wood, metal
2017
Genesis 1:1-2
“ In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
CURRENT PROJECTS
EL BEBITO
52” diameter
Foam, tyvek, repurposed materials
2019
An unexpected find
In an unexpected place
Years of target practice salvaged from the trash
A week of creating among sisters
Treasures from Mexico
Layers of Epiphany revealed
Isaiah 53: 5
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.”
If you'd like to read more about the story behind this work, please visit my blog page.
FOR THOU ART WITH ME
During the coronavirus quarantine, I was inspired by the Noh theatre style of storytelling through costume, sound, and slow, methodical movement. I created a mask and robe inspired by Saint Margery Kempe and on Holy Saturday I walked down the alley behind my house in Detroit.
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Psalm 23:4 “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”
If you'd like to read more about the story behind this work, please visit my blog page.
BLOG
DAILY DRAWING MEDITATIONS
The act of drawing is foundational work for my practice where my mind has time to wander and simultaneously sink deeper into scripture reading. This summer I embarked on a 40-day journey with my husband and neighbors called “Motus Divina”. We gathered in our side yard each morning and evening to engage in a form of embodied prayer uniting our bodies, voices, and ears to the words of Isaiah 58, 59, 60, and 61. From those experiences, I developed a daily drawing routine to further ponder the nature around us as well as the daily scripture. A collection of 80 drawings came out of that 40-day practice and I hope to continue a similar pattern of drawing meditations into my ongoing art practice.
UNITY COLLECTION
After nearly a decade working as a designer in the fashion industry, my life took a turn and it’s almost been another decade that I have been making art and also have been a stay at home mom. It took me years to be able to even call myself an “artist” and to unwind all the years of designing things for a functional purpose to sell in a particular market. I always imagined maybe a day would come when I could figure out how to merge my two loves of clothing design and art. I am in the process of creating a 25 piece collection of wearable pieces that merge my two loves. I desire to showcase this collection in way that is not a typical “fashion show”, but to collaborate with other artists to create a beautiful experience for the viewer that tells a story. If you’re interested in collaborating or donating materials, please see the tithe page for more details.
ART AT THE MONASTERY
My husband and I are regular patrons to a local monastery set in the lovely woods of Michigan, 45 minutes outside of Detroit. This special place has become like a second home for us and also many other members of our community. Time there is filled with rest, reflection, and chanting the Psalms with the monks who reside there.
The monastery recently finished a new building addition to the property and asked if I would help curate art for the empty white walls. I am currently working on creating a self-guided “art tour” for visitors who come to the monastery to be able to view all of the amazing art that has been donated to the monastery over the years and to also engage with rotating exhibits of contemporary art. Much of the donated art is the Orthodox style of painting icons, which is rich in church history and symbolism. I have been studying and researching these paintings in an effort to put together a tour that is historically significant to the Christian church, to the history of the monastery, as well as spiritually engaging to the viewer in the present.
NEIGHBORHOOD ART SCHOOL /
ASMARA DESIGN
My husband and I are two years into the process of developing a Neighborhood Art School in collaboration with some other artists in our neighborhood of Detroit. We’ve hosted multiple art & music shows, clothing design classes, and music classes. I am focusing on developing the Asmara Design part of the school and he is focusing on the Music School. Please visit the tithe page to learn more.
