Sarah Schneiderman (She/Her)
I am an assemblage artist who has exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions. In 2019, I had a solo show at ArtWalk Gallery in Hartford, CT. The content of the show “You’re Fired! I Quit!” was portraits of people who worked for or had worked for the 45th president of the United States of America. These dramatic portraits were made of non-recyclable trash and repurposed materials. The use of garbage was symbolic in that the president and his cronies were trashing the country and that many in his administration were relegated to the debris heap for trying to do the right thing. More recently, my work is about people who are the first in their cohort to hold an elected or appointed position in government. This time, the trash is elevated into something beautiful. These portraits are showing in libraries around Connecticut.
Workshops I’ve led include online with children in St. Croix, people in recovery in Massachusetts, and artists and non-artists in Connecticut. I’ve given demonstrations and art talks both online and in person.
My study of art started early in life with semi-private painting lessons from a neighbor. I received formal training from The Corcoran School of Art and the California Institute of the Arts.
Although I worked in corporate settings for years after completing my education, I continued to be creative, whether knitting unusual sweaters or creating totems out of trash. My ethos has continually led me to use found objects in my work and to create assemblages, whether distinctly sculptural or bas reliefs.
My social activism, reflected in my art, started as a child with the “Poor People’s Campaign” and anti-war protests. Though I never burned my bra, my work focuses on women’s rights, gender equality, minority concerns, and the environment. I also continue my activism outside of my artwork by eating a plant-based diet, reducing my plastic use, and refusing to shave.
ARTWALK at Hartford Public Library, Tufts University, Ice Box Project Space in Philadelphia, and the Mattituck Museum have included my artwork in solo and group exhibitions.
I was born in Washington, D.C. I spend part of the year in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean.
