Sarah Adam is an artist in the woods.
I am an interpreter of stories found in slate stone, unearthed from the forest floors of central New England. The woods, hills and reservoirs of my expanded backyard of western Massachusetts have become my sanctuary, a place to explore and to sleep, to observe and fuel my creative process. Around a flickering campfire, a midnight swim – the night skies open up wide when I allow my eyes to adjust, and then a familiar ache knowing I can’t take it home.
My artist studio is a dedication to home. As a safe, well-lit dwelling, but also a private space nestled in this planet, tucked away in our galaxy. It is a place of my own to explore the impossible – the delicate work and play balance of creating and producing art. When I unload the pockets of memories – branches and twigs and moonlight and stones – my sense of play begins, and I transform slate and wood from these fleeting memories, the sunset hikes of dreams.
The bones of my painting surfaces are gathered from across the landscape, and they become my bones. Digging into the hillsides by slate roofed farmhouses, picking through the ruins of crumbling chapels, gifts of shards cleaned out of old mill buildings – all from ancient spaces, all seeking repurpose. My early paintings were kept minimal, not wanting to interrupt the natural beauty of the slate itself. As I allowed my palette to bloom, I embraced the unique shapes in each shard, excited to discover the hidden landscape in each piece.
