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.
Sarah Adam
sarah@madsahara.com
Greenfield, MA 01301
madsahara.com
Education
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration, Magna Cum Laude, 2004. Academic Achievement Honors for Visual Design, 2003
Mount Wachusett Community College
Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, 2001. Dean’s List Honors, 1999 – 2001
Skills
Graphic Arts: Infographics | Photography | Digital Painting (Procreate) | Traditional Media (watercolor, acrylic, pen & ink, mixed media)
Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop | InDesign | Illustrator | Acrobat | Bridge | Premiere Pro
Microsoft Office 365: Word | Excel | PowerPoint | Publisher | One Drive | Outlook | Teams
Web: WordPress | Trello | JotForm | Email Marketing | Social Media Content Management
Print Production: Prepress for 4-Color Offset, Digital & Wide format printers | Computer-to-Plate Processing | Cutting | Folding | Addressing | Machine Insert | Shipping
Exhibitions
New England Dreamscapes: New paintings on Slate, The LAVA Center, Greenfield, MA 2025
FOWARD, Artspace Gallery, Greenfield, MA 2025
StART on the Street/StART at the Station, Worcester, MA 2013 – 2024
Lowbrow Craft Fair, Northampton, MA 2024
Local Art Gallery’s Annual Holiday Arts Market, Amherst, MA 2024
Greenfield Holiday Pop-Up, Greenfield, MA 2018, 2021, 2023
JUNO, Future Lab(s) Gallery, North Adams, MA 2023
A Little Bazaar, Mill No. 5, Lowell, MA 2017 – 2021
10×10 Real Art Party, Berkshire Art Museum, Pittsfield, MA 2021
Small Works Show, Sawmill River Arts, Montague, MA 2016, 2020
The Hive Holiday Makers Market, Greenfield, MA 2019
Trees Trees Trees, LOCAL Gallery, Easthampton, MA 2019
Featured Artist, Amherst Arts Night Plus, Ramboll, Amherst MA 2019
Holiday Art Pop-Up, Madsahara Art & Design Studio, Greenfield, MA 2019
Al Fresco Duet, Artspace Gallery, Greenfield, MA 2018
Quabbin Walk, The Burnett Gallery, Jones Library, Amherst, MA 2017
Community Fundraisers
Stone Soup Cafe Harvest Supper & Art Auction Fundraiser, Greenfield, MA 2024
Looky Here Gala & Fundraiser, Greenfield, MA 2024
Graphic Design
Franklin County Community Meals Program, Greenfield, MA. Graphic design, events, social media, 2012 – 2024
Five Maples Development Communications, Putney VT. Graphic Design, 2016-2017. Production Team Member, 2022-2024
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Chicopee, MA. Marketing & Design Coordinator, 2018 – 2021
Pathways For Change, Worcester, MA. Logo rebrand and style guide, web graphics, 2020
Mondo Mediaworks, Brattleboro, VT. Illustration, whiteboard animation, 2012 – 2020
Community Action Pioneer Valley, Greenfield, MA. Web graphics and promotional collateral for Look 4 Help program launch, 2019
Howard Printing Inc., Brattleboro, VT. Graphic Design/Prepress/Wide Format Specialist, 2016 – 2018
Brattleboro Food Co-op, Brattleboro, VT. Graphic Designer, 2011 – 2015
The Commons, Vermont Independent Media, Brattleboro, VT. Graphic Designer, 2011 – 2014
Juried Projects
Children’s Room glass appliqué wall mural, Design chosen by Greenfield Public Library Art Committee, 2023 (installation pending)
End-of-year fundraiser, Wrapping Paper Edition Design chosen by Montague Reporter, 2023
Public Art – City of Greenfield, MA Electrical box murals, Painted Bee Sculpture, Cultural Crossroads light pole banner art, 2020 – 2023
Winning Poster Design – Great Falls Farmers Market Great Falls Farmers Market, Turners Falls, MA 2016
NEPM Art Mug National Public Radio Western New England, 2008
Affiliations
Board of Directors, Franklin County Community Meals Program, 2018 – 2023, present
Art Studio Volunteer, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 2007- 2009
