Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabin Aell
Hi Sabin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in Linz, Austria, I moved to Frankfurt, Germany in 1996. 2005 I participated in a call for entry at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins. Coming to the opening reception, I was struck by the creative energy and the welcoming people I met. Inspired by the artistic possibilities I saw, I made the decision to move to Denver in 2007. Here, I’ve found a vibrant art community that has both challenged and supported my work. The journey from Europe to Colorado has significantly influenced my artistic development, blending my European roots with the dynamic spirit of the American West.
Art has been my lifelong passion. seeking a balance between creativity and practicality, I studied graphic design and photography, earning a Master’s Degree Master’s at the Design College for Graphic Design & Photography in Vienna. After graduating, I moved to Frankfurt to work as a creative director at Ogilvy, a top US-based advertising agency. This experience working with high-profile clients proved invaluable when I later transitioned to my career as an independent artist. My commercial background has significantly shaped my artistic approach, blending creativity with practical skills.
After moving to Denver in 2007, my husband and I established Hinterland, a 10,000 sq ft art space in RiNo District. We renovated it to include a gallery for emerging artists, earning Westword’s Mastermind Award in 2012 for our community impact. As my work gained recognition, I began creating public art pieces through open calls and commissions. I’ve been represented by Walker Fine Art since 2009, continuing to expand my artistic career in Colorado and beyond.
A number of public indoor and outdoor art commissions followed during the last years included Amazon Denver, The Hyatt Place, McNichols Building, Moxy Hotels just to name a few.
“I love to work with my hands and create visually interesting and nurturing objects. Contrasts attract me. I enjoy experimenting with the strange and unrelated materials I run into, fusing them together. It’s an interesting resonance, the response and opposing elements that start to form an alliance. Such symbioses may irritate, provoke or be, simply beautiful.”
My use of media has no limits and ranges from photography, mixed media to sculpture and installation.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey as an artist has been one of adaptation and growth. While gallery representation was my initial focus, I discovered that relying on a single gallery wasn’t sustainable for a full-time career. Despite actively seeking representation across multiple states, those opportunities remained elusive. This challenge led me to pivot toward public art commissions, a transition that has proven to work well for me.
The shift to public art has brought unexpected benefits: immediate compensation and no need to store artwork after exhibitions. However, like many creative professionals, I’ve learned that the project-based nature of artistic work often means navigating periods between commissions. This reality taught me the importance of developing multiple income streams.
I found a natural complement to my artistic practice in my passion for animal and healing. By becoming a certified Qigong Healer and Clinical EFT coach, I’ve built a unique career as a Wellness and Performance coach for pets and canine athlete teams. This combination not only provides financial stability but also allows me to express my creativity and healing abilities in different ways.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work draws inspiration from organic forms, shapes, and patterns—especially the small, often overlooked details that reveal hidden beauty. I’m particularly drawn to reclaimed materials, appreciating their age, patina, and the untold stories they carry.
Most of my work is inspired by moments that happen unexpectedly for example this project that emerged from an unexpected trade. I designed a logo and business cards for an airplane salvage yard in exchange for parts from a vintage “Beech C-45 Expeditor” airplane. As soon as I saw these discarded pieces, I envisioned them transformed into an ethereal chandelier. This concept eventually evolved into a light installation at Meow Wolf Denver – “Ario C-45” is a fiber optic light sculpture suspended and cascading down two stories into the Transit Station main lobby designed and built by me and my husband Randy Rushton. We collaborate on a lot of public art projects. Assembling the chandelier was extremely labor intensive and precision work. A total of 9,348 ft strands of fiber-optics were used. Each of them is hand colored in different tones and so are the ends of the fiber-optics which are attached to the crystals. The curved shaped domes of the chandelier are from the tail end of the airplane. The metal frames that support them all had to be hand bent as all the curves are different and changed radius constantly. This was a serious challenge, but that is for them what makes creating functional art so engaging.
What I am proud of: I am proud that I came across the ocean to explore and find a place where my work is appreciated and sparks inspiration in the community.
What sets me apart is my uniquely multidisciplinary and boundary-pushing approach to a diversity of mediums. While many artists specialize in a single medium, I deliberately work across multiple dimensions – from photography and mixed media to film, interior design, and even set design for performance art. This versatility stems from my background in multimedia design and my international perspective, having worked and exhibited in cities from Vienna to Seoul.
My distinctive characteristic is the unconventional fusion of materials and techniques. I’m particularly drawn to creating unexpected combinations, finding harmony between contrasting elements that shouldn’t traditionally work together. This approach was exemplified in projects like the City O’ City restaurant expansion, where I integrated custom fiber optic light sculptures with interior design and murals to create an immersive artistic environment. It can also found in my jewelry design which I call wearable art.
Having operated HINTERLAND, an immersive art space that featured emerging artists, I understand both the creative and curatorial aspects of art. This dual perspective influences how I approach my own work, allowing me to create pieces that challenge conventional boundaries while remaining accessible and engaging.
Another differentiating factor is my commitment to exploring the space between the visible and invisible. My work embraces uncertainty and experimental processes, resulting in pieces that speak a language beyond words – one that connects with viewers on an intuitive, emotional level.
What does success mean to you?
Success is happiness. It only can come through self development and presence. With everything I do, my goal is to create in a “flow state”. Freedom from the ego is what I define as success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sabinaell.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sabinaell
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068018094037
- Other: https://AellWorks.com
Image Credits
Sabin Aell
