My art manifests itself in a variety of mediums: art quilts, soft sculpture, beaded images, mixed media collage, and contemporary variations on the Mexican/indigenous folk art of my heritage. A great deal of my work facilitates ongoing community dialogue about the subjects I am passionate about; women and children, ending violence, relationships, environmental and social justice causes, and the preservation and promotion of traditional folk arts.
My art quilt work is a combination of hand and machine stichery, fabric manipulation, quilting, painting, and a unique form of embellishment that I call over-beading. Anything can find its way into my work; beads, buttons, jewelry, cast off items, and found objects. These items are layered to create dimensional textures along with brightly colored images often found in traditional folk art. This serves to entice the viewer to examine not only the work’s materials but the subject matter as well.
As a Chicana it is important for me to be a part of the cultural preservation and promotion of traditional Mexican and Mexican/American arts. These include bead work, mask making, papel picado, paper mache, decorated sugar skulls, storytelling, building sacred memory spaces to honor loved ones and preparing cultural foods.
In addition to my art sales and exhibits I conduct workshops, keynote speeches and lectures. The use of art and the creative process serves as the basis for my workshops and participatory lecture presentations. Session topics may include; the use of art and creativity to generate innovative thinking, examining cultural influences and symbolism, the promotion of healing through self-expression, the use of community art to encourage civic dialogue, and ways that art and creativity serve as a tool for personal and community empowerments.
Website
http://www.sabrinazarco.com
