Meet Sarah Mandell

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

Sarah, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Many times artists work in solitude, never sharing their inspiration, process, or even the end result. And that’s okay.

However, I’ve found that the more I can share, the more effective & successful my work will be because chances are, whatever it is that I choose to share, even if it’s “bad”, may connect with someone in the world in an unexpected way.

Maybe my inspiration-gathering hike in the mountains of South Carolina nudges someone to get outside, get active again. Or maybe my trial and error methods in the studio encourages others to try something new, even if it doesn’t work out in the end. If my finished piece hanging in an exhibition inspires someone to go to art school, apply to exhibit their work, or even just set a goal of collecting art in the future, all of these things make me successful in some way or another. Not only have I flexed my creativity, practiced my medium, produced work, or improved something about my skill-set, I’ve also connected with someone.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a jewelry and fiber artist in the upstate of South Carolina, and my small business Once Again Sam has been going strong since 2009. When I began creating and selling my work, it opened up so many doors, and gave me all the excuses I could ever need to get out there and try new things, learn new mediums, and create every single day.

My fiber art career started out with 3D needle felting, then eventually honed in on 2D wool landscapes featuring scenes from the Southeast. In recent years, I’ve learned rug hooking, punch needle, and tufting, all of which have given me new ways to work, achieving different textures through each medium, and the opportunity to break all the rules by combining them.

These highly textured landscapes are tediously stitched, felted, and woven together to create recognizable scenes, all created with fiber, yarn, and fabric.

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?
My desire to learn new things has had a huge impact on my creative journey. If I had never branched out and experimented, or taken the time to learn how to use new tools or mediums, I would have gotten bored and closed the business long ago because my work wouldn’t have evolved.

Some of my work still resembles pieces from when I first began, but most has come a long way and you might not think it was created by the same artist. I’m not afraid to change my style, to try things and embrace them wholly or partially, or abandon them altogether.

How can you have a journey if you never go anywhere to seek out new things or try something out of your comfort zone?

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
My love of learning and experimenting could truly take over my studio hours, but I’m far too practical for that. Since I earn the majority of my living through selling my artwork, I have to be smart about how I use my time. I have to be sure I’m meeting inventory demands, fulfilling commissions, and properly preparing for upcoming art fairs. Most days, I’m not making what I want to make, I’m making something I NEED to make because this is a business and not a hobby. It’s still very enjoyable and I’m very lucky to be able to do this with my life, but I do long for more creative experimentation in the studio. At this point, I haven’t set any specific hours for this exploration, but I am trying to be more mindful of leaving a little room in the busy schedule to just “play”.

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