profile

Sarah Z Short

Come closer - there's more to see

Published 6 months ago • 1 min read

​

Sarah Z Short

Driftway Studio

Hello Reader,

​
When I created Tracks and Not Lost, Looking, the black and white pieces seen above on the gallery wall at The Ah Haa School for the Arts, I kept imagining them on the same wall - how a collector would move between them, discovering how the papers create one larger narrative.

Here's the tour I'd give you if you were standing in front of both pieces in your own space.

What you're seeing: The bold graphic impact - stark black lines creating geometric patterns against white space. The minimalist composition that first catches your eye and draws you closer.

What you're discovering: Now the lines reveal their purpose as guides, leading your eye through intentional pathways across the surface. You begin to sense there's something beneath - glimpses of text, fragments of symbols. The piece starts to let you in.

What you're experiencing: The music emerges. The thin paper becomes precious - rescued, preserved, given new voice through the composition.

All that story, from vintage papers.

​

For more stories from this exhibition, and about these pieces, please read my artist talk.

Warmly,

Sarah

​

PS This email goes out to my collector list and my artist/collector list. If you'd like to change which emails you receive, please let me know.

James Trail Driftway, West Kingston, RI 02892
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Sarah Z Short

I'm an abstract artist using vintage paper and letterpress printing for contemporary collage art. I teach online and in-person collage workshops.

Read more from Sarah Z Short

Sarah Z Short Notes from the Driftway Yesterday, we put out the bird feeders, and I'm watching the birds discover them, thinking about how thrilled they must be. And I'm just as happy, because enrollment is open for the course I’ve been working on for months. It’s a strange feeling—part excitement, part nerves because I have so much of myself in this class, as I share my complete process from collecting papers to framing gallery-ready art. If you’ve been collecting vintage papers and are...

2 months ago • 1 min read

Sarah Z Short Notes from the Driftway Hello, Reader For months, I've been creating a new online class. But before I tell you about that, I want to answer the question I get asked most often: “Where do you FIND all those vintage papers?” On the blog, I have a new post that answers that question: Vintage Papers for Letterpress and Collage In this post, I share: my favorite sourcing spots, what makes “good” paper for printing and collage, and how to build a collection on any budget This guide...

3 months ago • 1 min read

Sarah Z Short Notes from the Driftway Odd Number, 20" x 16" Hello Reader, I lifted all the plants off the cedar chest, regretting my choice to move the massive jade by myself. Inside, wrapped in newspaper, were all the china and glass bits that I’d collected, but never used. Somewhere, there had to be a china tea cup and saucer, and I had to unpack most of the chest before I found the cup. No saucer, but I found one of those in the cupboard. I was on a mission to make myself a proper cup of...

5 months ago • 1 min read