Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Mills-bailey
Hi Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a microbiologist turned artist, married to my favorite person, mother to 2 girls and 2 step-sons, I sew, bake, paint and reupholster chairs when I can. I live in Texas but as a New Orleans native, I will always claim NOLA as home.
I spent my 20’s focusing on science….. I have a BS in Microbiology with minors in Chemistry and French from LSU in Baton Rouge. I studied microbiology at the graduate level at Tulane University in New Orleans. I finished the course work for my PhD in microbiology but didn’t finish my research so I have a MS in Microbiology and Immunology. For a while, I thought about going back to finish my PhD, but life has taken me in a completely different and more authentic direction. In the 25 years since I left graduate school, I’ve come to realize I’ve been an artist all along just forcing myself to be a scientist.
My 30’s were spent fighting for adequate medical care for my oldest daughter. I fought school policies and I think I was just fighting in general.
My 40’s have been about growth and a new perspective….. including marrying my favorite person, a 2nd child, 2 step-sons and a 2nd career as an abstract artist. I never expected to become a painter, but through art I have found a new way to have a voice. My voice is quiet and resolute and my goal is to not add to the chaos of the world, but to help people exhale. I am focused on peace, in my home and in my heart, and slowing down to enjoy my life and family. I am always looking for ways to add peace to the world around me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I doubt you’ll find any small business owner that has had a smooth road. Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is a top challenge for me. There’s always one more canvas to work on, one more post to upload to a social media platform, one more networking opportunity to take advantage of. However many problems or challenges that I face as a small business owner, the truth is that they are all worth it.
I absolutely love creating something out of nothing. To take a blank canvas or piece of watercolor paper and turn it into “something” is incredible; Or, to take a bolt of fabric, and make a dress, or throw pillows or curtains is just as exciting to me.
My favorite days are filled with the freedom to create. I will walk into my home studio and take a moment and think . . .”What do I want to create today?”
Having ultimate agency in how I express my voice and creativity is an absolute luxury.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a creative and love to sew, paint, reupholster chairs and bake, but my main focus is as a painter. As an abstract-landscape artist my inspiration comes mostly from the serenity of water, be it a lake, ocean, waterfall etc. My goal is to always add peace to the world around me.
The art that I create is described as abstract but the reality it depicts is quite defined: a child’s EEG, a deep breath of sea air, the gathering of courage in the face of despair, opening to hope. The subject matter is endless, vibrant and rich.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
As a native New Orleanian, who lived through Hurricane Katrina, it’s difficult to not compare the two catastrophes.
Hurricane Katrina was a high-category hurricane that made landfall along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts on the morning of August 29, 2005 and of course COVID was an infectious disease pandemic. However, they both have health and socioeconomic features in common.
They both clearly demonstrate the exceptional susceptibility of minority and disadvantaged groups to adverse outcomes from catastrophic events.
As a nation, there is still tremendous work to be done to help our vulnerable populations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sarahmillsbailey.com
- Instagram: @smbaileyart
- Facebook: Art of Sarah Mills Bailey
Image Credits
Lauren Portrait Art
