Sarah Veak
bio
Born in the southeast, Sarah Veak received her Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts (Visual Communications) with an emphasis in studio arts/painting.
In 2010, life took her to Ithaca, NY, where she apprenticed with studio potter Renata Wadsworth. During this time, she learned everything from throwing pots to building and firing a wood kiln. From there, Veak has worked and lived across the country, with stops in Arizona, Denver and most recently in Kansas City, where she continually hones her craft and builds a strong clay community alongside some of that city’s best potters.
After more than 13 years in this industry, Veak is eager for the “next” on this journey that sharpens her skills and shapes her style. Take a moment to admire how her ongoing growth has influenced her latest body of work.
Artist Statement
It seems to me there is growing uncertainty in life these days; an external, or perhaps internal, unknowing that fluctuates like the temperatures during a Midwestern spring. As a functional artist, I strive to remain grounded in the necessities. Maybe that’s why I was drawn to clay in the first place—with its known origins, scientific processes, and nearly infinite shapeability.
In this latest work, I sought to lean into my artistic origins, with clean lines and bold swaths of color that speak to my earliest work and some of my earliest memories. Juxtaposed with my newest line, splashes of color, I wanted to create that feeling of nostalgia for my *literal* roots–childhood. And there is very little that is more grounding than gathering across a checkered tablecloth in my grandmother's kitchen, the air thick with the sweet nuttiness of pancakes and syrup, playing with the intoxicating scent of rich coffee, ripe orange juice and mouthwatering bacon. Pause, breathe and experience the past with me as we face our future with hope in our hearts and our bellies.