SARA SALTEE - mixed media assemblage artist

Upon seeing Sara Saltee’s work, one is immediately drawn into the the intimate intrigue of images and words that form her assemblages.

Sara says: “My shrines and boxes sometimes begin with a central object, but most often begin with the words – a quote, poem fragment, lyric, or found snippets of text. Once I find some words to spark a direction, my crow-self begins sifting through my random assortment of papers, objects, and ephemera to see what bits and pieces might best bring to life the feelings and imagery the words inspire in me.

I hope the little worlds that emerge from my visits to this “otherworld” become places of inspiration, amusement, reflection, or delight for you, too.”

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“Arrange whatever pieces come your way.” - Virginia Woolf

As an assemblage artist, Sara Saltee pretty much takes Woolf’s words as the First Commandment of her work. Arranging harmonious little worlds out of the random bits of flotsam and jetsam that float through everyday life is a process so deeply satisfying and joyful that she’s been hooked on it for nearly twenty years.

“Two distinct sides of me are in conversation in the process of creating my art: The bookworm-self who is happiest when immersed in worlds of stories, words and ideas; and the crow-self who is drawn to shiny objects, bright colors, and intriguing textures.

I work slowly, gathering a bunch of possible elements, auditioning them, taking away the stuff that doesn’t quite work, adding layers, exploring possibilities, etc. This mixed-media cha-cha: putting things in place, taking them away, putting them back, taking them away is a dance that can go on for many days!”

For Saltee, art-making is not so much a “thing I do” as a “place I go.” It is a place where the leftover scraps from one project magically become the seeds of the next; where cast-off objects are elevated, re-imagined and invited into new conversations; and where order, harmony and meaning are married to invention, exploration, and good old-fashioned fooling around.

No two boxes are remotely the same, though each piece seeks to suggest a mysterious narrative or evoke a poetic experience for the viewer, often expressing themes of identity, nurturance, freedom, and creativity.

If you have questions about Sara Saltee’s assemblages,
please contact the gallery at 360-222-3070 or 800-858-5063