Meet Sarah Band of Seagrove, NC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Band

Hi Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Sarah Band and I’ve been a glass sculptor for over fifteen years. I am originally from the San Francisco Bay area. I grew up in a family of physicists, being the only artist in my family. I have always been a drawer and painter but found sculpture and glass blowing at San Francisco State University, graduating in 2011. I was able to find my way with glassblowing in particular, allowing me to travel all over the US, eventually settling in rural North Carolina. For six years I worked as the Artistic Director for a non-profit called the Olio, in Winston Salem, where we trained underserved youth in glassblowing and entrepreneurship. When the COVID-19 pandemic happened, that shop closed and I started practicing my artwork full-time. I currently sell my artwork and teach classes at Starworks Center and Sawtooth School.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an artist and having a small business is not for the faint of heart, having said that I can’t imagine I would be happy doing anything else. I would say the hardest part of being an artist for me is financial. The way I make money always fluctuates, and I still feel like I am gambling when deciding what project to do next. I am also never satisfied when I finish a project. This helps fuel me to always get better, but can be draining, and makes me feel less than.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create glass sculptures inspired by science, anatomy, and the macabre. My most impressive series are my glass skeletons blown on copper pipe. These sculptures end up looking like dinosaur skeletons in a museum, but they are animals on the endangered species list. They can be assembled to be quite large, with my biggest to date being 6.5 feet long. My most popular series are my glass anatomical hearts, teeth, and other human organs. They are especially popular with medical professionals. My most recent and exciting projects involve sealing preserved bones and bugs inside clear glass. My goal is to create sculptures of creatures that have what they eat preserved inside of them, my most recent one being a clear bat with a preserved moth inside.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I am truly obsessed with audiobooks and podcasts, it would be hard to pick out one. Ologies is a great podcast that I draw inspiration from often. As well as Startalk and any book by Mary Roach. As far as glass blowing checking what fellow glass makers are making online is an endless drive to see what is possible. I am always inspired by fellow artists and feel driven to improve my own work and technique.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sarahaband.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahaband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.band2
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sarahband1742
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahaband