Mural dedication and Wine & Art Exhibit Opening:

The two bodies of work that will be presented at the gallery symbolize the shift from the work that was done pre-covid to now.

Throughout her early years as a new parent, Sarah King wanted to create a series of images for her son's nursery. She began to paint animals, as she felt primal in her pregnancy and early motherhood, and she wanted to show her connection to animal imagery - illustrations based on motherhood. Sarah felt a sensitivity to nature and wanted her son to be surrounded by images of love and security. Her work also reflected this theme as she shifted from landscape to figurative painting. 

As the artist has come to know herself as a mother, Sarah has grappled with its cosmic impact on her identity, how she relates to the world, and what she wanted her work to be about. The series of figurative paintings is my response to that shift. She tried to paint moments that were hard, poignant, and quiet. She wanted to draw attention to the times that are common daily but become memories so quickly as we age. Sarah wants to thank the Stamford JCC for their outpouring of love and support to her family, who, without, she would never have found this voice. 

The mural is a collaborative effort between Sarah, the children of the Sara Walker Nursery School, and the administration at the JCC. She was inspired to create this mural by her work with the kids at Sara Walker: observing their behavior, asking them to help develop characters, and trying to personify them. She wanted JCC members to feel connected to an animal as they walked by the doors.

When imagining the story, Sarah began to think about how the animals would have been waiting and what they would've been thinking. She researched historical paintings and anthropological sources to understand the landscape, where they may have been, and what they would've seen. Metaphors swam in her head, and she thought of these animals as refugees, children of God wanting shelter, yet in the midst of it all, humor and hope. 

The color palette came from multiple conversations and research. Blue and white are symbolically crucial to Judaism, specifically blue which is mentioned throughout the Torah. It is said that the color originated specifically from blue snails found in Israel. Although this color wasn't the specific color she used, the basis of her color palette was ultramarine, historically made from lapis lazuli, which was found in the mines of Afghanistan in the 14th century. Ultramarine blue was an expensive and holy color used by Western Italian painters. She looked specifically at Rubens's adoration of the Magi, with his wild horses and circular rhythms that she wanted to emulate throughout the mural. 

Lastly, Sarah was given many Judaic symbols to work on and hide throughout the mural. She and Sandi Waldstreicher wanted the mural to create curiosity and interest in the Jewish culture and faith and create a piece specific to The J. We hope it will encourage children to continue to look and reflect and find things that represent them or are curious to learn about. 

She wants to thank the community for their patience and support. Thanks to the Waldstreicher family, Marshall Kurland, Jess Berger, and all the members of the Stamford JCC who came by to cheer me on throughout this process. 

"I am so grateful to all of you, and it made the mural so much richer and more special than I could've imagined., Thanks to my family, who, without this piece and this show, would not have been possible."

Sarah King is a multi-disciplinary who lives and works in Stamford CT. She has a MALS in Children's Book Illustration from Hollins University and an MFA from The New York Studio School. She is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Sarah King Paints LLC was established in 2011 and serves as a platform for her to pursue all her creative endeavors.

FREE to all
Kosher dietary laws will be observed.