Artist Profile: Sarah Fitzgerald

On occasion, MVAAC posts short profiles featuring local artists. Written by Aleasa Robinson

Sarah Fitzgerald, Mount Vernon artist and retired elementary art teacher makes art inspired by her surroundings. Originally from Illinois, Sarah moved to Mount Vernon in 1980 to pursue a BA at Cornell College. She left town for a few years but returned and stayed.

 Her interest and concern for nature affects the way she sees and interacts with her closest worlds—her backyard, her neighborhood, her town. As an elementary teacher, Sarah experienced a lot of joy; being able to “foster young minds” was something she found deeply fulfilling. But these days she focuses on her own art, which she considers an important self-discovery tool. For Sarah, art is therapeutic and allows her to process thoughts and feelings in a safe and productive way all the while experimenting. Currently, she is working on an Instagram series (@sarahlynnfitzgerald) in which she draws figures that fit into her surrounding environment. For Sarah, art is entirely autobiographical. “When you’re making art, the first person you’re making it for is yourself.”