ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: A CONversation with sara marlowe hall
Interview by Olivia Lopez
It's hard not to feel besotted by Sara Marlowe Hall's work. Her expert eye for color and skill with texture produces a canvas that draws you in with its warmth and patina-like layers. By using a unique mixture of materials, Sara creates sensory-provoking paintings inspired by light and landscapes.
I first discovered Sara Marlowe Hall's work visiting the LOQ store in Highland Park. A large-scale canvas, painted in swathes of pink pastel and terracotta framed the sun-rinsed wall. It magnified the depth of pigment and patchwork layering of the painting’s earth-toned plaster.
Recently I met Sara in Oaxaca, where she just completed an artist in residency program at PocoaPoco. Here Sara shares what inspiration transpired during her time in Mexico, as well as her multi-chapter journey from London to Leipzig, and Leipzig to Los Angeles.
Tell us a bit of your creative background.
I grew up in between London and Los Angeles. I was fortunate enough to be raised by creative parents that took me to art shows and traveled around the world with me from a young age. Since I was a child, I always knew I wanted to be an artist and was so lucky to have the support of my family to pursue it. I studied Fine Art at Camberwell College of Arts in South London and spent a year abroad studying at the Hochschule Für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig, Germany.
What ideas fuel your work?
Landscape, travel, color, texture, and light.
What mediums do you work in?
I work in various mediums but mainly in acrylic and plaster, as well as natural pigments. I use soft pastel and charcoal for my works on paper.
You recently traveled to Oaxaca for an artist residency.
Can you share more about this experience?
It was incredible. I spent a month at Pocoapoco, which is a residency in Oaxaca City. I think as an artist, it's essential to do residencies as it creates new conversations around art and pushes you outside of your comfort zone in a positive way. I was lucky enough to be with a group of beautifully talented women that exchanged ideas, concepts, creative processes, and more with one another in a beautiful home. So much of my work is inspired by travel and new landscapes and textures. Spending a month in Oaxaca, rich in culture and color, was a unique experience for me.
What inspired you most about Oaxaca's culture?
There are so many things that inspired me about Oaxaca, but it came down to the people. Oaxacans have a beautiful, humble nature and have incredible pride in their craft. It is rare to be in a place where the majority of the population are Artisans. The use of natural dye, insects, plants, clay, wool, cotton, wax, mezcal all have sacred importance to
each craft, and you feel each healing element when you're in its presence. I was in awe of how much care and love, and tradition goes into each person's practice and how the earth and family are vital elements. Oaxacans welcomed me with open arms in a time that the world is so uncertain and shared their home with me, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
Did you learn any new processes and work with any new materials from Oaxaca?
I worked with an exceptional Lithography studio in Oaxaca City Called La Máquina Taller de Gráfica located in Centro Oaxaca. While working on a series of prints there, the studio taught me about the process and materials used that go into Lithography. I created my lithography prints by drawing directly onto the limestone and then color referencing paint chips from Oaxaca's walls that I had collected. The lithography press was built in the 1900s and shipped from Paris; this particular press was one of 3 existing in the world. Being in the presence of this enormous machine is an incredible feeling and honestly quite intimidating. I was honored to be able to work at this Atelier.
I look forward to exploring this printing process more and returning to Oaxaca to continue the series.
How does travel inform your work?
Is a change of scenery critical for the creative process?
Travel is essential to me because most of my work is inspired by abstract landscapes. Changing my space and experiencing new colors, sounds, light, texture, and smell unlock a different part of my brain that releases so much inspiration for me. I am mostly inspired to work when stimulated by something new and different. Travel does that to you; you embrace all new elements and see the world differently than you are used to in your home.
What places are you drawn to for inspiration?
Recently the Californian High Desert has been very inspiring, as it changes color and landscape quite drastically within the seasons. After spending time in Mexico, I also loved immersing myself in so much color in day-to-day life that I would love to go back and explore more.
What places have had a long-lasting impression on you?
Morocco continuously inspires me. It is very special to me. I spend a lot of time out there, and each time I visit, I discover something new and fall more in love with it. Natural pigments and material are so unique to each region, from the mid-Atlas Mountains to the coastal towns.
What do you listen to when you're in the studio?
Recently I have been listening to a lot of Studio 1 records, but I would say the most played Artist is probably Brian Eno. There is always something there with his music, no matter what type of mood I'm in. They are relatable soundscapes.
What is your favorite time of day to paint?
Early afternoon, I find that's when I am most focused. I'm a creature of routine and a late riser, so I like to wake up, have my coffee, play some records, have breakfast, and then head into the studio.
If you could choose any artist to have dinner with, who would it be?
After recently spending time in Mexico, I think I would want Frida Kahlo to join me at the dinner table. She's such a revolutionary female Artist and would bring great conversations to the table.