Sarah Raskey
Something About

Sarah Raskey

Sarah's original interest in art stems from a passion for creating
combined with a profound interest in psychology and desire to
connect with others. As an undergraduate student painting was
Sarah's major field of study. After graduation, she has continued her
deep commitment to continuing to work as an artist. She believes in
the power of art to provide people with a deep and exciting language
for communicating ideas and sharing emotions. Through the activity
of painting and the creative process Sarah has found new avenues to
express, and reflect upon, her own inner experience and personal
growth. She is intrigued by the possibility of exploring this process
with others and feels strongly about the benefits of including art in an
individual's life.  

Sarah attended Illinois State University on an art scholarship in 1998
and graduated with honors in 2002 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. It
was during these four years that Sarah spent most of her time in the
studio as well as taking many courses in both psychology and art
therapy. Through her personal experience within the Chicago-land
communities Sarah came to realize how much she enjoyed working
with and helping others. She has had opportunities to work with the
elderly, the homeless, those with disabilities and mental illness, as well
as individuals at a shelter for battered women and children, sexual
assault survivors, and a variety of non-for profit agencies. Through
each of these experiences, she has learned a great deal including how
to be patient, a keen observer, and an attentive listener.  

Sarah went on to obtain her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology:
Art Therapy, at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in 2004.
Since 2004 Sarah has worked as a fulltime clinical therapist
specializing in Art Therapy at a non for profit behavioral healthcare
agency in Flossmoor Illinois. When asked about the role art plays in
her work in which she treats individuals, families, and groups
suffering from severe psychological or emotional/behavioral problems
and/or mental illness, Sarah says: "I truly feel that the creative process
is the life process. It includes and integrates everything about who we
are and how we choose to be and function in the world. The art
product reveals the meaning we give to life, our choices, fears,
desires, and dreams. When we explore our art, it can lead us to our
uncensored truth, authenticity, and possible solutions." In February of
2005, Sarah created a protocol and implemented two separate
psychotherapy groups within the child and adolescent program at
Grand Prairie Services. These groups include a teen girl empowerment
group and an art expression group for younger children that continue
to meet weekly. Sarah is a registered Art Therapist and is currently
working towards her LCPC licensure
Artist Statement  

My current body of work articulates and draws inspiration from a myriad of sources such as
poetry, psychology, personal feelings/experiences, but mostly the connections and moments shared
between people. While working as a professional art therapist I have had the opportunity to meet
many individuals and families and to listen to their stories. While my artwork is not limited to
connections based on my work as a therapist, being a therapist allows me to spend much
meaningful time with a diverse range of clients/people. This sets the stage for unique discussions in
regard to an individual’s beliefs, feelings, passions, trials and triumphs, fears, and how they make
sense of their time here. What is most important for me during these encounters is that I am given
the opportunity to connect with people for who they are, in their own “here and now moment” with
all of our seemingly differences aside. I then take those very human moments and express them via
my own artwork to reflect upon the power of shared human experience. I try to capture the purity,
unpredictability, and rawness of each moment. I then look to share my work with others allowing
further processing, connections, engagement and introspection. Ultimately my artwork gives me an
appropriate space in which to reflect upon these encounters and often inspires highly individualistic
pieces.


With this in mind I begin my work intuitively. I am intrigued by the significance and adequacy of
our own insight and visceral wit when producing art. I often use a process of staining during the
first stages of the work then add a variety of organic inscribed cavities on a level of semi-
unawareness. There is often a long process of layering different textures and pigment to provide a
sense of depth and something to be discovered. I would like to stress; my work is not based on
formula, but based on intuition via stream of consciousness. By this I mean I avoid any formulaic
procedures at first, I do however try to consciously address compositional and technical
conclusions decisively. Repeatedly during the process, I stand back and resolve visual
complications. In doing so, I study and contemplate additional elements that would make the piece
more representational of the experience/connection that has come to mind. Having said this, my
work often varies from piece to piece, as each represents a unique connection, relationship, or
person. I try to work the composition in the all over methods employed by modernist artists
working out of abstract expressionism. Working the composition in this all over way brings forth
the notion of evolution and change. Often prevailing my obsession for the combination of tumult
and harmony I strive for while working. Theoretically speaking, one of my ongoing goals is to
sustain this investigation of this "intuitive metamorphosis." I enjoy experimenting with different
media and techniques in painting (both traditional and nontraditional) applying them in such a way
with color sensibility to provoke certain emotional responses.
CONTACT:passionofart@adacartianu.com