Sarah Nortmann is an emerging Australian artist based in Western Australia. While she has always been a creative, her journey began out of necessity during her final years of university studying biomedical science; she was in desperate need of a creative outlet to balance her STEM-based study. Her work is rooted in familiarity and nostalgia; driven by her own lived experience and memory recalled by others, she strives to capture ‘feeling’ on the canvas. Her pursuit allows her to capture her own emotion tied to memories, while leaving space for others to find resonance and feel intimacy reflected through their own memories.
Her creative process begins subconsciously, starting with a feeling which then translates to a vague mental image as the feeling is processed. She chooses colours intuitively and plays with pattern to bring about almost abstract beach scenes. She often reuses canvases, painting a new composition until it feels like it belongs, which builds up organic texture in her work. Her intention is to create works that feel reminiscent, offering a connection between her and those who view her work, a call for kinship. Through her work, she aspires to create pieces that feel like home, allowing space to indulge in sentiment and explore communal memories. Each painting permits her an ever-deepening understanding of her psyche that drives the expansion of her creative practice.
My name is Sarah Nortmann. I am an emerging artist based in Western Australia. My journey into the world of art began when I was young, and continued in earnest midway through my science degree as a means of escape; to paint was to feel like I could finally take a breath. My work is influenced by my own lived experience, paired with the concept of memory, be it my own or that recalled by others. I draw inspiration from both physical and emotional spaces; my intention is to capture the intimate feelings that are evoked by memory on canvas. The central themes of my art include memory, reminiscence and shared human connection. Through mosaic-inspired patterns and a bold palette, I explore the manifestation of nostalgia, and what it means to feel resonance for a memory that isn’t your own. My creative process involves subconscious feeling that slowly materialises into a vague form that I can then translate through paint onto canvas. I often experiment with different patterns to represent various elements of the composition to add depth and complexity to my work. Each piece is an offer of recognition for the feelings associated with the memories we hold. Ultimately, my work aims to foster a sense of kinship, to allow for memories to be felt, instead of just remembered. Looking forward, I am eager to continue exploring themes of memory, and to bear witness to how my art evolves alongside my own growth.
🎊 Let’s Welcome 2025 Together 🎊 Flat 25% off!. View plan
Add a review