We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sara Noyes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
My generosity definitely comes from the deep rooted idea of kindness rules all. It’s truly not that hard to be kind and help others. Although it can be hard to be generous in a greedy world, I think it pays off ten fold to be generous. I like to think I’m generous in my art, both in the way of ideas and the kinds of pieces I create.
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?
My work is primarily focused on groovy aesthetics and fun colors! As of right now, I currently sell pins, stickers, digital and linocut prints, and one of a kind textiles! My inspiration is definitely pulled from 60s and 70s psychedelia and ideas of love and peace. I truly don’t identify with any medium. My main focus is in graphic design, however I got my artistic start with drawing and painting. On the design side of things that’s where I create stickers as well as commissions for branding and illustration. I currently participate in the Portland Art Picnic in Portland, Oregon. My work can be found at Pinky PDX on NW 23rd and Higher Self on Holgate, both in Portland as well!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
One of the most important areas of knowledge I’ve learned thus far is honestly basic drawing and nailing perspective. I was able to take a drawing class in college that quite literally changed my life. We were working large scale, in charcoal, and sometimes with models. It was definitely out of my wheelhouse, but it was so valuable! The next most impactful skill I learned was linoleum block printing. It was a medium that was brand new to me that I picked up when I was creating a final for one of my design classes. It was so humbling to thrust myself into this unknown thing that is so imperfect and messy compared to my other ‘safe’ mediums. It felt even better because it was something I felt comfortable in investing in and ultimately really loving! Lastly, my most helpful quality is learning how to properly critique other peoples work as well as my own. That is the most crucial thing about art school, and I see why. Being able to learn the proper vocabulary and to practice that amongst peers is priceless. You’ll be talking about your art as long as you do it, so you might as well learn how to do it well! The advice I’d have for those starting out is that it’s going to feel long and endless, and it is, but you need to learn how to embrace the process.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
My ideal person to collaborate with would be someone who is well versed in textiles and graphic design! I absolutely adore 60s and 70s imagery, lots of color, queer joy, typography, and anything weird! I know that is very open ended, but if any of that sounds appealing, reach out! My email is saranoyesart@gmail.com and my Instagram is @electric_daisies, both are okay to get in contact with me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SaraNoyesArt
- Instagram: @electric_daisies
