Artist Interview: Sara Pizarro

Sara Pizarro is a Colombian artist who moves between multiple 2D mediums, exploring the social and cultural imagery of women in Latin American and African culture. She is influenced by the vividness of these places' textures, colors, and races. Her art has been sold at the Museum of Fine Arts and her murals have been painted on multiple continents. Sara is currently a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA). She has graciously donated her painting, A Face In The Crowd, to our 6th Annual Auction Benefit Gala, Paint The Town Rouge. You can see more of her work and her journey on her website and Instagram.

As a child, were you interested in art? What was your favorite type of art to make?

When I was a kid, I was always involved in any artistic practices that I could get my hands on. I would always be dancing, singing, or painting. I grew up watching my mom paint with oil paints on canvases. That was a big inspiration for me, even though I was always hesitant to try that medium. I remember drawing with colored pencils and doing paper quilling. I was also interested in lettering and would write all my friends' names out to practice and then give it to them as gifts.

What inspired you to start focusing on capturing socio-economic and cultural imagery of Latin American and African women?

I've always admired the beauty of the races from these places and everything that adorns them: their traditional clothes, the colors, the accessories, the shapes, and texture. This has made me focused on the importance of the women in different social groups, especially the indigenous groups of these places. The most traditional groups from Africa and Latin America are typically part of low socio-economic groups, and through my artwork, I try to open up a conversation about these women, their labor, and their importance in their communities.

How does your use of different mediums correspond with the diversity of the environment you try to capture through your art?

I am using different mediums, materials, and techniques that allow me to be manual and tactile, which is what I like the most. My sense of touch is one of the most important senses for me to be able to create what I create. It's as if my hands are connected directly to my emotions. The tactile factor is relevant in the daily labors of women that I convey in my art pieces. These women are usually in charge of weaving the community's clothes, producing crafts, cooing, and being mothers -- all tasks that are very manual and sensorial. Lately, I have been trying to mix threads, embroidery, and weavings with illustration and painting. I'm trying to explore how I could produce images that are not only what I can see as beautiful through my eyes, but also what I can understand as beautiful with my hands. I think the tactile aspects of the clothes and accessories are some of the most attractive aspects of these cultures.

Why did you choose to donate A Face In The Crowd to our auction?

A Face In the Crowd is one of the first paintings that I have done that speaks about children. With this piece, I wanted to bring an artistic resolution to the current racial tensions by showing how, at the end of the day, we are all the same. I wanted to show how these wounds can be stitched and solved with love, compassion, and understanding. I thought it would be an appropriate artwork to donate in an effort to raise money for children.

Artwork Details:

A Face in the Crowd
Sara Pizarro, 2017
Acrylics on canvas and hemp cord.
48 x 36"

Make sure to see A Face In The Crowd and work from other talanted artists by purchasing your ticket to "Paint The Town Rouge" here!

P.S. We would love to see this artist continue to create and inspire generations of future artists to come, using art for social impact as ARCK does. We encourage you to donate to her GoFundMe page as a way to support the work of this wonderful artist while also investing in Boston's vibrant arts ecosystem.