Meet Sarah Copenhaver

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Copenhaver. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

Burnout is something every one of us will have to face at some point Over the years, I’ve learned to recognize when I feel burnout, as well as the role self-care plays in managing it. Aside from hydration and keeping a schedule that allows for consistent quality sleep, I’ve found that having clear goals and taking occasional breaks helps a ton. We need to take good care of ourselves in order to produce work of good quality.

When something isn’t working for me, I try different strategies in order to refresh my mind, and to approach things from a new angle. Burnout is a never-ending battle, but it can be managed and does not have to keep a hold on anyone’s life. Of course, our goals change over time, and we may feel like there is no end in sight, however; it is important to recognize our own progress and allow ourselves to reevaluate the things in our lives rather than to focus on achieving a perfect result.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I like to capture the fleeting moments that pass us by on camera, whether in cities or in nature. Nothing was meant to last forever, and there’s a certain beauty to finding little moments in the present that I’ll never tire of. As far as my artwork goes, I like to explore a variety of themes and blend them together. I’m not limited to a particular medium: traditional painting, incorporating pictures into digital works, writing musical pieces, snow sculpting or even modifying dolls… whatever the mood calls for, I’ll try it out!

Personally, I have a soft spot for the obscure, so if it’s relatively unknown it’ll probably captivate my interest. I want to continue learning new things and invoke a sense of curious positivity in others as my artistry evolves!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Empathy: What goes on in others’ lives, and how can we use the limited knowledge we’re given to better ourselves? I don’t like making assumptions, because you never really know the full extent of what’s going on in someone else’s head, even if they try to tell you themselves. Life slows down for no one, be it stressful or pleasant times at hand. I try to adopt an optimistic mindset and spread a positive influence towards those around me, listening patiently where I can and understanding my own limits.

Fulfillment: I find myself much more inspired when I take the time to understand what it is that inspires me. If you don’t love what you’re doing, what’s the point? By gaining a sense of fulfillment from exploring topics that capture my interest, and having the focus and passion to share that with the world, I feel like I’ll be taken a lot more seriously as a creator, and a lot more satisfied with the works I create in general.

Perseverance: Not a single person is ever going to be at their 100% best, especially not all of the time. I try to take as many little steps forward as I can in spite of that, all while embracing the idea that I may never be completely satisfied. There are times where we really do need to recharge, so we won’t get very much done. Knowing and allowing myself to just be, no matter what anyone else thinks, has propelled me forward farther than I could have imagined. Part of that is giving myself challenges everyday and not thinking too hard about the details – if my expectations are too high, it feels stifling to work.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

I am still trying to start small and find a focus, a central theme – so I can be more organized in how I approach my career as an artist. Keeping a database of my works and potential ideas has helped me better monitor my interests, in addition to showing me what I am capable of.

Contact Info:

• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-329579409
• Other: Artfol: https://artfol.co/_rollinstar_

Image Credits

Sarah Copenhaver, Izabella Cura