“I create in a space between play and intent, feeling my way as I go,
until the painting says ‘enough’.”
About the Artist
Driftwood Gallery features the work of Sara Lamond, a Canadian artist who is based in Cape Breton. Sara’s work can be found in private collections on 5 continents – a remarkable achievement for an artist who began exhibiting her mixed media work only in 2022, after leaving Australia to pursue her dream of living life as a full time artist.
Sara is strongly influenced by her environment – you will see the influence of the salt marsh in her work – foggy abstracts, scratchy plants.
More than what you can see though, Sara’s work is filled with the emotions that are evoked by her love of nature. Her hope is that the viewer will “feel” her work.
“The layers are really important to me – the history and the mystery that gets hidden by successive layers of paint – I find that really interesting.”
Sara is committed to continuing education and professionalism, and to further her learning and career, she is a member of or represented by the following organizations:
CARFAC – The national voice of Canada’s professional visual artists
Visual Arts Nova Scotia – VANS supports artists through education, connection and advocacy
Copyright Visual Arts – COVA-DAAV is a not-for-profit copyright management society providing Creator’s Rights administration for professional Canadian and Québécois visual and media artists.
Federation of Canadian Artists – The mission of the FCA is to advance the knowledge and appreciation of art and culture to all Canadians, offering education, exhibition and communication in the Visual Arts, and to support and promote emerging to professional member artists.
Cape Breton Centre for Craft (Maker Member) – The mandate of Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design is to promote excellence in the field of craft and design through education and training, exhibitions and special events.
Craft Nova Scotia (Maker Member) – Their mandate is to encourage and promote both the craft movement in Nova Scotia and the public awareness and appreciation of craft products and activities.
Artist's Statement
I am fortunate to have a studio and gallery located right next to my home, in the tiny community of Fourchu Nova Scotia. I am surrounded by native flora and fauna and have views to the ocean.
The views from my studio windows are endlessly fascinating – what thrills me most are crashing ocean waves, however all of nature fascinates me. Bald eagles soar overhead, deer visit my backyard, and the colours, scents and textures of the 4 seasons are endlessly inspiring.
I am currently working mainly in mixed media abstract art – I’m fascinated by colour and texture, and how the manipulation of these in just the right way can evoke such strong emotions, without the need for a realistic subject. I love to incorporate scraps of my life and found objects into the work. Ribbons, scraps of paper, orchid petals, a button – all grist for the mill.
I work intuitively in many layers, with each mark a response to the existing canvas. I am wild and messy at the start – purely intuitive and emotional – often I write these thoughts and emotions directly on my canvas. The words become covered up by many layers so I am free to write whatever I want. It’s like a secret journal that only I know is there.
Sometimes I have a concept in mind when I begin, but usually I decide what the painting is about when it is nearly finished – the work tells me it is done when it is ready, and often the name of the work is inspired by events in my day, or song or quote that I’ve recently read.
I also have launched my own clothing and accessories line, with patterns inspired by my artwork – it’s a really fun outlet for my creativity, that allows people to have their own “wearable art”.
The world of art holds so much variety – there are endless opportunities to learn and I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity to share my art with you.