profile

Sarah Z Short

Making brushes, sticky notes and discoveries

Published 3 months ago • 1 min read

Sarah Z Short

Driftway Studio

Hi Reader,

Last week, I had a high school student, an artist, spend the day in my studio. I worked through all the lessons I have planned for my next in-person workshop, a mixed media class with many different activities.

By the end of the day, through observation and conversation, I learned so much.

My lesson plans are filled with sticky notes about modifications; I have a shopping list of supplies I didn't know I was low on, and lessons have been removed and modified. Things I thought the students could do are now being prepped in advance by me to give them more time with the activities.

She had fun, and we both learned from each other.

One of the lessons I had planned was brush making and mark making with ink and other mixed media supplies. Turns out, the real fun of this was not the brush making, but using all the tools I had already made. This means I don't have to forage in the gardens, woods, and beach looking for more items for my students, but can use what I already have.

The real discovery wasn't in the making—it was remembering what I already had. And what you might already have too.

On the blog: the brushes and their marks. Hours of studio time or ten minutes—whatever you have.

If you've made similar brushes, let me know which materials you like best.

Warmly,

Sarah

The feather duster in the background provided me with the material for one of my brushes.

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 Driftway Studio Down Payment, 9" x 12" Hello Reader, I waited for the sun to move and clear the wall of shadows so I could take new pictures of three collages. It's been a long time since we've had any sunshine. Sitting outside with my coffee, I watched leaves of many colors drop from the cherry trees. There wasn't much bird song, but the crickets and the neighbor's rooster had a lot to say. Vintage papers tell tales, especially when your imagination takes over and creates new...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

Sarah Z Short Driftway Studio New Work Portfolio Hello Reader, Every year since I was a child, I've gone to my favorite library book sale in July. Now, as an artist, I've developed a reliable ritual: I ignore the tables of contemporary titles and walk straight to the unpacked cardboard boxes stacked below the folding tables. These are the books the volunteers don't bother to unpack—the ones with spine damage, faded covers, and loose pages, which means they're perfect for me. A few weeks ago,...

3 months ago • 1 min read

Sarah Z Short Driftway Studio New Work For Artists Blog 2026 Workshops Hi Reader, My son had a new pack of markers, so I convinced him to sit outside and draw with me. A few days before, I had started a mark-making sketchbook, and this was my chance to use it. All went as planned for about a minute, then devolved into us passing my sketchbook back and forth, drawing progressively wilder scenes. It's summer, so I'll take any moment of creativity I can find. This had me thinking about all the...

4 months ago • 1 min read