And the Winner Is…
This September marked the 2nd annual LOVE Where You Read Art Contest, showcasing the creativity of our community. The library received over 20 submissions from 17 local artists of all ages and abilities, reflecting the vibrant talent in our area. As a kickoff to this year’s contest, we hosted the SFL En Plein Air open paint event alongside Stonington Borough’s Art Walk. We distributed over 45 art kits to encourage our patrons to create something beautiful. The results were truly inspiring!
The Jury Process
To select the winners, we organized the submissions by age group, ensuring anonymity by removing all names, titles, and identifying information. Library staff members voted for their top three favorites in each category. The voting was incredibly close, leading to a few rounds of nail-biting tiebreakers.
Our Winner!
This year’s overall winner of the 2024 LOVE Where You Read Art Contest is Sarah Downie for her whimsical illustration titled Reading on the Green, featuring our beloved library lions. Sarah is no stranger to our walls; she came in second in last year’s contest and has previously exhibited in the SFL Stairwell Gallery, showcasing her imaginative children’s illustrations from her books A Beach Chase A-Z Alphabet Book and 1, 2, 3 The Castles I See.
We had the pleasure of asking Sarah a few questions about herself and her artwork, and here’s what we learned:
Can you tell us about your background and what first drew you to art?
“I have always wanted to be an artist. I was inspired at an early age by artists in my family, and even in elementary school I drew comics and created games and stories. What strengthened my passion were the storybooks and comics that I grew up reading. I was always taking out books from the school and Stonington Free Library. I would read the books and dream that one day someone would be reading a book that contained my artwork.”
Who are your biggest influences, and how have they shaped your work?
“Some of my biggest influences were my two amazing artist aunts who always encouraged me to be creative and experiment with different media. Other artists who inspired me included Mary Blair, who did the amazing concept art for early Disney movies, and other self-made illustrators & authors like Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbies comics), Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants and The Dumb Bunnies series), Dr. Seuss, Joe Todd Stanton & Beatrice Blue (Once Upon Series).”
How do you approach a new project or piece?
“Normally I spend at least a day sketching a lot of ideas for new illustrations or projects. Sometimes an idea just comes out when I am playing around with different art mediums for fun. However, when working on children’s books, I spend a lot of time drawing out storyboard thumbnails and experimenting with how I want each page to look. Sometimes I have the text for the page. Other times, I just have the pictures and I work the story around those. Once I have my rough idea, I make time to focus on finalizing the character designs, the backgrounds, and the overall art style for the story. That is usually the fun part as it gives me more opportunities to be experimental, as I am always trying to problem-solve from previous book projects.”
What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how have you overcome them?
“I think the biggest challenge is balancing a full-time job with my art. I always dream that someday I will be able to make art my full-time job, but I know that can’t happen instantly. For me, jumping from an eight-hour job to working in my studio for two to four hours most days has become a normal routine that I have been following for the last couple of years. You really have to push yourself to want to do something outside of work. Just be sure you throw in a couple of vacation days every now and then to give yourself some relaxation and inspiration!”
What are your current projects, and what can we look forward to from you in the future?
“I am working on my third picture book, which is my second search and find alphabet book inspired by my first book A Beach Chase. This story takes place in a very different location and I am enjoying the opportunity to experiment more with mixed media. The illustrations in my new book start with painted landscapes but then let me be more playful, creative and problem solve with cut paper. I’m hoping to finish this book next year then to start working on my next one much faster. My big goal is to have an agent or be a part of a publishing agency to have more representation of my work. Getting my artwork and stories into a bigger audience is something I strive for and something I hope will open doors to creating bigger projects someday.”
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring artists, what would it be?
“Make sure you are making art that you love. Never be afraid to try, learn or experiment with new art styles and media. But make sure that you are doing art for you – not just because someone else suggested you do something. When you find a style that works for you, whatever that may be, you will find an audience that will support your work.”
You can see more of Sarah’s work by visiting www.sarahdownieart.com or by following her on Instagram @sadillustrations. She is currently moving into a new space in Stonington (6 Cutler Street) and will be hosting an open house event soon! You can find Sarah’s books and work at Stonington Free Library and Thought Fox Writers Den at the Velvet Mill. You can also purchase her books online through Amazon.com.
Sarah has painted another buoy for the Stonington Lobster Trap Tree, making this year’s buoy her 3rd! See if you are able to find her buoy on the tree which is on display from November 23, 2024 – Sunday, January 5, 2025.
Congratulations to all of the selected artists and winners of the 2024 LOVE Where You Read Art Contest!
Adult Category (15+)
- 1st Place: Sarah Downie, Reading on the Green
- 2nd Place: Susan Scala, Stonington Library
- 3rd Place: Adrien Pratt, PRIDE and Prejudice
- Honorable Mention: Courtney Leivers, Stonington Free Library
Children’s Category (6-14)
- 1st Place: Bo Kasprzak, Untitled
- 2nd Place: Katherine Baldwin, Library Book
- 3rd Place: Coraline Pechtold, Story Drawing
Exhibiting artists also include: Avaline Rose Durbin, Danielle Foley, Noah Iovino, Elaine Mills, Giuliana Pechtold, Mary Grace Pechtold, Nellie Rogers, Lily Stallins, Erin Wade, and Piper Yanni.
Be sure to stop by and see the exhibit for yourself, on display until December 27th in the SFL Stairwell Gallery.