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Bio

Sarah Burford is a collage and mixed media artist based in Washington, D.C. She incorporates bright color palettes, natural landscapes, and archival photographs in her work to explore the complexities of memory, family, historical lineage, parenthood, and womanhood. Her work has recently been shown in exhibitions at Rhizome DC, with Phototrouvée Magazine, and published in the Smithsonian Institution’s Annual Report. Sarah holds a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an M.A. from Bryn Mawr College. She is the Chief Operating Officer of CANVAS and lives with her husband and daughter in Washington, D.C.

Statement

My practice brings together found photographs, natural imagery, and dynamic color in works that explore the inner lives of women, parents, caregivers, and families. Inspired by the modernist aesthetics of Dada and Surrealism, my work depicts unlikely juxtapositions of surreal and natural imagery to reveal the intersections and intricacies of identity, parenthood, and maternity. Fascinated by the elusive nature of historical and personal memories, my approach is deeply influenced by my everyday experience, my study of art history, and by using art-making as a means of healing from trauma. Many of my works use photographs, magazines, calendars, or public archival collections as primary source material, including images of figures who are anonymous or unidentified. Through my practice, I seek to bring new narrative and emotional life to buried memories and unseen experiences.

Recent Exhibitions

  • Art Doulas Project, Rhizome DC (2021)

  • Memories of Love, Phototrouvée Magazine (2021)

  • Art for Mutual Aid, Capitol Hill Art Workshop (2020)

  • Making New Connections, Frame of Mine Gallery (2020)

  • Member’s Show, Capitol Hill Art League (2020)

Recent Press / Publications