Sara Gondwe: Turn Up the Color!

Sara Gondwe is a Charlottesville, VA. abstract artist originally from Beaver Dam, WI. A self-taught artist, she received degrees in Philosophy and Education at the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus, and certification as a Reading Specialist.  Using a unique medium new to the Art World, she scrapes bits of crayons onto canvas, metal, glass or wood. Ms. Gondwe uses an iron to move and melt the crayons into a design with creative imagination and determination.  Using the tip of a tube of metallic fabric paint she augments and embellishes her creations.  One can often see items such as beads, safety pins, twigs, mesh, buttons, tissue, etc., in her work. 

She has won numerous awards at the local, regional and national levels, including Best in Show and Artist Choice. The Fluvanna County Review, journalist Page Gifflord stated, “In the advanced category the work of Sara Gondwe stood out.  Her mixed media “Insects in the Grass” was bold, colorful and expressive and seemed to set a new standard for looking at art."

Themes include the Leaps of Joy fish series, Zebra tree series, Underwater Caves, East African scenes, Patterns, Trees that come alive, and so much more.  Her art is influenced by the bright colors of the Malawian culture while living in Central East Africa.

The artist states, "The process of creating art, for me, is meditative, spontaneous and therapeutic. While painting, I have no negative thoughts and instead am filled with peace, joy, and optimism for a positive end result.  Viewers bring many varying perspectives to my art and often see in my paintings personal reflections of something from their own lives.”

The goal of the artist is to bring smiles to the faces of her viewers and to inspire other artists to believe in themselves and their own creative process, whatever that may be.