Meet SarahKate Butterworth

Today we’d like to introduce you to SarahKate Butterworth.

SarahKate, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey as an artist began as a baby and was encouraged by my loving parents. This artistic journey involved being the best artist in my class through elementary school, then feeling like the worst artist in middle school followed by a decade of doodling and doing other art on the side as a hobby.

I continually felt called to create art in many forms, but it wasn’t until I found my medium of henna that my artistic life took off. It filled me with a purpose – to adorn as many people as possible!

The next 16 years were spent doing a massive amount of art, growing from a passionate hobby to a spiritual art project to a career as an Artist & Photographer.

Today I mostly work out of my home studio with women coming throughout the week and weekend for large works of body art – to celebrate their pregnancy, their birthday, going to a special event/retreat, or a rite of passage into the next chapter in their lives. I also travel as an artist and make house calls to parties where I adorn 6-30 people in an afternoon/evening to celebrate a birthday or everyone going to a Phish show together (last week’s gathering).

Because henna lasts 1 -2 weeks I love to take photos of the art and really capture women where they ARE in that moment. These photos and photo books that I create are treasured by my clients.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My path was filled with challenges – the first was getting over having people watch me create art on their bodies! After the obstacle of not being able to get a permit to paint on Boulder’s Pearl St Mall (my home town!), my art slipped into the background as a passionate hobby. I became a stay-at-home homeschooling momma with my three beautiful daughters that came to me through marriage and were adopted into my heart.

By far my biggest obstacle was infertility. two years passed without a pregnancy. The art of walking through the fire of burning envy of other pregnant mothers left me feeling absolutely terrible. Finally, I reached a point where I knew I had to find a way to heal this wound, and after sitting with it, I was able to realize I would find my healing through art.

I could honor other women’s pregnancies with henna! My spiritual art project had begun. It was 2008 and I began that year meeting with pregnant women in their homes, making art with them until it felt complete, usually about 1 1/2 hours, then photographing them. Henna peaks in color after 2-3 days so I asked them to return for more photos. My loving husband had the insight to suggest I have them each sign a model release with the idea that I could create a book about my journey and when/if I got pregnant I would be in the book too.

At first, it was hard for me to be happy for other women’s pregnancies – but after sitting with them for one to two hours, I felt my heart melt to them and fill with happiness for their blessing. A peace came over me with every belly I painted – over 600 pregnant women were involved in this art project.

The final volume, Blessed Belly Blessed Baby, Honoring Mothers with Henna Tattoos Volume six, included our oldest daughter who was pregnant with twins. I was now Nana! My husband and I were able to be there for her birth and she snapped a photo of us holding our grandsons that appears in this volume. Now I had been published in the book as a grandmother and that series felt complete.

Tell us more about your art.
I am an Artist and I empower women with body art and body-positive photography! I specialize in Body Murals – large works of art that take one to three hours to create, and honor women’s visions and intentions, celebrating the newest chapter of their lives.

I am especially known for my work with pregnancy, which remains my favorite canvas after all these years. In addition to my six volumes of Art on Pregnancy, I also created a magazine focused on empowering mothers – Artfull Mother – for 13 issues.

When women connect again with me later in life, they often share how much the pictures I took meant to them. For many, my photographs are the only ones they have of themselves pregnant and these images are treasured. I am most proud of my ability to create art that lasts and continues to make a positive impact through the years.

My ability to create unique, artistic portraits for women sets me apart. Many of these works of art are hanging in Boulder Community Hospital and several birth centers in the Boulder-Denver area.

What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.
Before I began formal schooling I was fortunate to have parents who took me to the beach (in Florida) often and I had an abundance of time to play in nature and developed massive foundation of imagination. I even had imaginary friends.

Contact Info:

• Address: Visit my home studio in Lousiville, Colorado
• Website: SarahKateButterworth.com
• Phone: 303-345-1516
• Email: skb@SarahKateButterworth.com

Image Credit:
All photos take by SarahKate Butterworth or her husband Rob Butterworth.

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