Local artist builds support, hones her craft despite pressures of pandemic

Middle Georgia fine artist Sara England won’t be going home to her native Wales for Christmas this year. COVID-19 travel concerns disrupted her and her husband, Matthew, and their two children’s annual holiday journey home even before the U.K.’s latest round of travel bans hit the news.

Both she and Matthew are from Anglesey, an island off the north coast of Wales where she said she grew up as an “outdoorsy” sort of girl on a farm and where both she and Matthew attended the same high school.

The two later went to the same university where England studied not art but law.

“We moved to Bonaire near Perry in 1999 and now this is home since we’ve lived and raised our family here and become citizens,” she said. “But it’s a real disappointment not getting to see both our families at Christmas. Our parents will surely miss seeing their grandchildren.”

England said her husband worked as a civil servant connected to the Royal Air Force in the U.K. and the two made the move to Georgia when a U.S. friend offered to help get him work here with a government contractor.

Since arriving, England said she worked a number of years as a paralegal in Macon for W. Carl Reynolds.

But what about her art?

Like a duck to water

Though she’s the kid whose favorite subject was art and favorite time of day was art class, at 16 years old when it was time to enter college she left art behind opting for a more income-certain career in law.

She said she didn’t start painting again until three years ago and even then only after a friend happened to invite her to a painting party at a Warner Robins coffee shop.

“When I was invited I was like, ‘Sure – I’d love to do that,’” she said.

For England, it was like a duck getting back in water, even if awkwardly at first.

“I loved art as a child but feel like I’m just learning now,” she said.

And though the Englands are going through 2020’s difficulties and disappointments like everyone and though many in the arts world are feeling its brunt deeply, England said she’s having a surprisingly good year.

“I’ve sold way more and had more commissions this year than ever before and more for the holidays than any other time of year,” she said. “I just delivered my last commission a couple of days ago and now feel like I can relax. I’m so grateful to everyone who has encouraged and helped me - including my family - and to those who have bought my work. It’s been amazing and quite surprising.”

Community support

When England launched online sales through www.saraenglandart.com in February, she said she very nearly sold out right away. England attributes much of her success to a good presence in the community and on social media, especially her www.instagram.com/saraenglandart account.

“There have been shops in Macon and Perry that have taken a liking to my work and featured it,” she said. “That has been such a help and I’m so appreciative.”

One is interior designer Kelly Massey Gordon’s home décor, art, jewelry and otherwise eclectic boutique in downtown Perry called Massey Gordon. Just before Thanksgiving, Gordon had England mount a show and sale of her artwork and handmade-for-Christmas ornaments on the sidewalk outside the shop. England masked up – except for getting her picture taken – and worked on and sold pieces throughout the day. She said she came close to selling out of her acrylic and her ink and watercolor offerings.

“I don’t have much to compare all this to because I’m so new to it but the last three months have been busier than ever,” she said. “I did a lot of sketches of local scenery and buildings and churches that people seemed to really like. I don’t do portraits but really love landscapes and seascapes and I paint animals and pets quite a bit.

“This is the first year I’ve tried to run things as a business and again, gratefully, I’ve been quite amazed despite it being such a horrible year. I’m in a good situation overall, but I do want my art to become a sustainable living. I’m still learning.”

More meaningful

Apart from the business side and fact things are going well, what is it about being an artist that pushes England on?

“Honestly, I don’t know,” she said. “It’s definitely hard work but as silly as it may sound, it’s something I just really need to do. I haven’t been painting all these years though I’ve done creative things like sew and garden. I know I need to work with my hands and create things.

“It’s a cliché but it’s true for me that when I paint I get lost in it and just completely forget about time. I like solving the problems of painting like figuring out what the perfect green is for this part or how to make another part work. Then I like discovering how it all works together when I’m done. It may sound silly, but it makes me happy.”

England is obviously an advocate of people buying work from local artists saying they all need support and encouragement – some more than others – but she said there’s also a benefit to buyers.

“Just as much as I love people taking my work home and putting it on their walls to enjoy, I think there’s a pleasure they get from having a connection with a real artist they may know locally,” she said. “It gives a greater depth of meaning that they’re playing an important role in the local art world and the lives of artists. I mean, that has to be much more meaningful than just handing over money to Amazon for some picture you have no idea about.”

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.

This story was originally published December 27, 2020 at 8:00 AM.