art by sarah kargol
welcome!
artist statement
Sarah Kargol was raised in the Midwest and now resides on the great plains of South Dakota. The plains provide her with ample opportunities to imagine a world beyond the isolation that exists in this vast region. Her four young boys have become a major source of inspiration; their daily antics, speech, and curiosity all drive her to create. Sarah is busily engaged in raising her children. She paints at night when the children are sleeping. It is the only time that there is quiet, personal space. It is during these quiet times when the creative process really takes off; this is her time. She often works until six in the morning painting and creating. Her boys love to wake up and see what new creations have been born in the night.
Sarah's artwork has been greatly influenced by the people in her life. Her mother worked as a freelance artist and illustrator and as a seamstress. She instilled an enjoyment in creating and hunting the local thrift stores for treasures. Sarah was also close to her grandfather who was an accomplished watercolor artist. She grew up listening to stories her grandfather would tell about his journeys and experiences in World War II, attending art school, and meeting his wife. She inherited an understanding how life experiences make us who we are and a love of the creative process.
In a search for something to make for her children for Christmas one year, she had an idea to take some of her kids’ drawings and turn them into three-dimensional stuffed creatures. Having grown up with a mother who was a seamstress, sewing was a natural solution. Because of Sarah’s love of great thrift store finds, she immediately knew what sort of fabric she would use for these gifts; old salvaged suits, flannel shirts and groovy polyester pants. She used felt and vintage buttons for eyes and teeth. The “creatures” that were created by her children on paper were now actual things they could hold. They were a hit and Sarah’s wheels started turning. She drew up her own crew of ‘monsters’ and began sewing. Her creations landed on small hard board canvases and that was just the beginning.
Monsters are a universal subject matter that allows viewers to safely place themselves into the situations being depicted in Sarah’s work. Everyone has one monster-like quality or another. Her monsters seem non-threatening yet cynical. The narrative that exists in her work is often humorous, dark, sublime, sexy, youthful, and nostalgic all at the same time. Sarah’s mixed media paintings evolve from materials that have had past lives. Buttons, fabric, and recycled images bring a sense of nostalgia to her work. One is reminded of the smell of grandma’s closet and the feel of the clothes contained within, and spending hours searching through old jars of buttons for a special treasure to take home. By manipulating these recycled materials, Sarah gives them a new and unexpected life, a life more exciting and interesting than was originally intended. Her artwork speaks to the viewer individually, evoking common memories that exist in each of us.
Sarah's artwork has been greatly influenced by the people in her life. Her mother worked as a freelance artist and illustrator and as a seamstress. She instilled an enjoyment in creating and hunting the local thrift stores for treasures. Sarah was also close to her grandfather who was an accomplished watercolor artist. She grew up listening to stories her grandfather would tell about his journeys and experiences in World War II, attending art school, and meeting his wife. She inherited an understanding how life experiences make us who we are and a love of the creative process.
In a search for something to make for her children for Christmas one year, she had an idea to take some of her kids’ drawings and turn them into three-dimensional stuffed creatures. Having grown up with a mother who was a seamstress, sewing was a natural solution. Because of Sarah’s love of great thrift store finds, she immediately knew what sort of fabric she would use for these gifts; old salvaged suits, flannel shirts and groovy polyester pants. She used felt and vintage buttons for eyes and teeth. The “creatures” that were created by her children on paper were now actual things they could hold. They were a hit and Sarah’s wheels started turning. She drew up her own crew of ‘monsters’ and began sewing. Her creations landed on small hard board canvases and that was just the beginning.
Monsters are a universal subject matter that allows viewers to safely place themselves into the situations being depicted in Sarah’s work. Everyone has one monster-like quality or another. Her monsters seem non-threatening yet cynical. The narrative that exists in her work is often humorous, dark, sublime, sexy, youthful, and nostalgic all at the same time. Sarah’s mixed media paintings evolve from materials that have had past lives. Buttons, fabric, and recycled images bring a sense of nostalgia to her work. One is reminded of the smell of grandma’s closet and the feel of the clothes contained within, and spending hours searching through old jars of buttons for a special treasure to take home. By manipulating these recycled materials, Sarah gives them a new and unexpected life, a life more exciting and interesting than was originally intended. Her artwork speaks to the viewer individually, evoking common memories that exist in each of us.
Sarah Kargol recieved her bachelor's degree in studio art from the University of Northern Iowa in 2000. She is an award winning artist with artwork in permanent collections throughout the Midwest and Southeast United States and Canada. She lives in South Dakota with her sculptor husband, Matt, and their four boys.