Experience the Raw and Primal Art of Resident Artist Sarah E. Huang at Aging & Maturing Solo Exhibit
If you’re interested in experiencing “surreal and visceral art, with brushstrokes that tangle together in a frenzy, and forms that are raw and primal, highlighted by a chromatic color palette,” then you must check out Resident Artist Sarah E. Huang’s solo exhibit “Aging & Maturing” at the Arts Warehouse.
Held March 3 through April 29 in the East Gallery, Huang’s describes her current body of work as a reflection and evolution at the history of her identity.
“For this series, I drew heavily from visual research to develop each ‘meaty’ form depicted in my installation and paintings. I love collecting images, sketching them, and evaluating each before I enlarge them for the final display,” said Huang, who hopes that visitors will enjoy the experiential installation component of her exhibit. “I encourage people to wander through and weave in and out of my hanging drawings. My favorite moment is when someone finds a piece to pose with for a photo! As a contrast to the free-flowing, monochromatic hanging pieces, I also have three paintings on display that help soften the stark contrast of my drawings with the softness and vibrancy of their color palettes.”
Pursuing Art and Inspiring Young Artists
Huang left her full-time job in July 2021 to pursue art more fully. Serendipity struck when the Arts Warehouse announced vacancies, she applied, and the Arts Warehouse accepted. By October 2021, she moved into her studio during a First Friday Art Walk, which has since become a place of work and comfort.
“In early 2021 I filed for an LLC to make my art business feel more tangible, even though I was still working out of my small living room. In addition, I needed to expand the scale of my work and refocus the scope of what I was making,” Huang said. “I’ve done more work here at Arts Warehouse than I have been able to in a while, which has been exhilarating. With that said, my experience has been incredibly positive. The best part is that I get to share a space with an amazing group of like-minded and knowledgeable working artists and professionals.”
Her goal – other than making amazing art – is inspiring other young artists. She didn’t know that the arts could be a viable career pathway when she was younger, and feared transferring her hobby into a career would cause her to lose her love for it. But, her passion for the arts persisted and only grew stronger the more she immersed herself in the field and met more artists like her with similar goals.
“You can make anything happen if you are passionate about pursuing your dreams. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. I hope to exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York one day,” said Huang, who believes that upgrading from her living room to a real studio space within the Arts Warehouse has been life changing. “Establishing a studio has allowed me to branch out and seek additional artist opportunities in the area through my connections and fellow artists. I’ve grown as an educator too. Since becoming a resident, I’ve become an instructor at the Boca Museum Art School, The Coral Springs Museum of Art, and the Milagro Center as part of the Boca Museum’s outreach program.”
“Aging & Maturing Exhibition” at the Arts Warehouse
Early Exposure to Art Leads to a Promising Art Career
All thanks to her family, who exposed her to art at a young age, especially with her mom being an artist. Huang said that her family is big on visiting museums, which began for her as a young child and continues to this day. She became the chronic doodler in her classes at school and dreamed of creating her own comic books one day. But it wasn’t until she enrolled as a Film, Video and New Media major at FAU, and signing up for a Figure Drawing elective in her second year that the future became clear for her.
“There was something that deeply spoke to me about that class. So, I changed majors and pursued a fine arts degree from there onward, with an eventual focus on painting. That figure drawing class was the moment I realized I could create something rewarding for myself,” Huang said.
Now, being a resident at the Arts Warehouse has helped her create an excellent platform for her work and open doors in even the short amount of time she has been there.
“Even when catching up on the more administrative side of my work, it’s nice to have a dynamic space to research and write, where I’m surrounded by the art I’ve created and what others have, too,” Huang said. “In addition, the feedback from and connecting with the other residents and other artists who come to Arts Warehouse has been invaluable. I can’t wait to keep creating and learning more.”
