Sara Steffey McQueen

Artist : Instructor , Visual Arts , Mixed Media , Painting , Photography , Printmaking

Artist Statement

Nature and acts of Creativity are my passion. I am a grandmother who gardens and loves to learn about the flowers and trees and the landscapes of this area. As an elder now, I keep play alive and nourished by my grandchildren. Children keep us open and fed by wonder. I have lived in Indiana most of my life and Bloomington is my home for 50 years now. I have built a life in community and love the gentle beauty of the midwest USA.

I have been exhibiting my art locally and regionally since the early 1980’s. Teaching art for 30 years in the Monroe County Public Schools was a rich and rewarding career, and brought me many gifts and memories. I was awarded 2 Lilly Teacher Creativity Grants for travel and received the Indiana art Teacher of the Year award by Arts Education of Indiana. I volunteered for 7 yrs with an international organization TREE SISTERS to reforest tropical areas and help the environment. Now, I am on the Board of Directors of Artists for Climate Awareness. I still teach as a Creativity Coach and offer workshops throughout the area. I hold certifications in Art of Allowing © and Wild Soul Woman© Nature Attunements using creative explorations through the landscape.

MyART is an intimate and personal glimpses into my world. My home in rural Monroe County and my studio are retreat spaces, and often the source of my subject matter. Travel also inspires new landscapes and subjects. Many of my watercolors are inspired by the cycles of the seasons and the places I travel. I paint on location (plein air) and in the studio.

I explore a variety of styles, spanning an impressionistic style of realism to full abstraction. I love making and using a variety of papers and incorporate handmade papers and printmaking techniques into collages. I paint most often in acrylic, and watercolor.

Besides nature, my sources of inspiration are rooted in metaphoric images and stories from cultures around the world such as in Sufism, I Ching, and Buddhism. I study and incorporate tribal and traditional influences in some of my works – not as appropriated- but as experiential integration and personal expression. I take a loose and playful approach to rendering and find my impressions more important than photographic accuracy.

My practice over the last 10 years has been with intuitive approaches to technique, inspired by the richness of the landscape and meditation and inner journeys. I am a certified teacher of Wild Soul Woman© and Art of Allowi ... view more »

Artist Statement

Nature and acts of Creativity are my passion. I am a grandmother who gardens and loves to learn about the flowers and trees and the landscapes of this area. As an elder now, I keep play alive and nourished by my grandchildren. Children keep us open and fed by wonder. I have lived in Indiana most of my life and Bloomington is my home for 50 years now. I have built a life in community and love the gentle beauty of the midwest USA.

I have been exhibiting my art locally and regionally since the early 1980’s. Teaching art for 30 years in the Monroe County Public Schools was a rich and rewarding career, and brought me many gifts and memories. I was awarded 2 Lilly Teacher Creativity Grants for travel and received the Indiana art Teacher of the Year award by Arts Education of Indiana. I volunteered for 7 yrs with an international organization TREE SISTERS to reforest tropical areas and help the environment. Now, I am on the Board of Directors of Artists for Climate Awareness. I still teach as a Creativity Coach and offer workshops throughout the area. I hold certifications in Art of Allowing © and Wild Soul Woman© Nature Attunements using creative explorations through the landscape.

MyART is an intimate and personal glimpses into my world. My home in rural Monroe County and my studio are retreat spaces, and often the source of my subject matter. Travel also inspires new landscapes and subjects. Many of my watercolors are inspired by the cycles of the seasons and the places I travel. I paint on location (plein air) and in the studio.

I explore a variety of styles, spanning an impressionistic style of realism to full abstraction. I love making and using a variety of papers and incorporate handmade papers and printmaking techniques into collages. I paint most often in acrylic, and watercolor.

Besides nature, my sources of inspiration are rooted in metaphoric images and stories from cultures around the world such as in Sufism, I Ching, and Buddhism. I study and incorporate tribal and traditional influences in some of my works – not as appropriated- but as experiential integration and personal expression. I take a loose and playful approach to rendering and find my impressions more important than photographic accuracy.

My practice over the last 10 years has been with intuitive approaches to technique, inspired by the richness of the landscape and meditation and inner journeys. I am a certified teacher of Wild Soul Woman© and Art of Allowing © Intuitive painting. For me this is a new way to bring forth expression ~ from the inside out instead of being inspired by the outer world of Nature. I am allowing the painting to develop from the inside ~out.

Most recently I am creating Nature- based art materials from plants and pigments from rocks. Using these in combination with reeds and other found objects in nature I build images to celebrate an environmentally sustainable and organic approach to art.

I was trained at Indiana University in the Printmaking and drawing departments, and taught art for 30 yrs. in Monroe County schools. My work has been published in Artistic Touch 6. Edited by Don Unwin, and owned by 2 Universities, and many private collectors. I exhibit regionally at the Arts alliance Center and By Hand Gallery, and locally and host workshops and classes. I have Signature Status in the Bloomington Watercolor Society and the Watercolor Society of Indiana. I offer private classes and retreat workshops as a Creativity coach with Mandala making, Nature immersion, and herbal preparations.

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Affiliations and Awards

Please tell us about your affiliations and awards. (For individual artists only; arts organizations may skip this section):

AFFILIATIONS / MEMBERSHIPS

Art Education Association of Indiana/ National Art Education Association | 1990- current
Indiana State Teachers Association / National Education Association | 1986- current
Kiwanis International | 2010 – 2015
Board of Directors Artists for Climate Awareness | 2021-current

AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS

Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship | 1993 & 2009
Art Education Association of Indiana / Indiana Middle School Teacher of the Year | 2009
Multiple Solo and Group Exhibitions and juried shows. Watercolor Society of Indiana, By Hand Gallery , Bloomington, (see attached) Hoosier Artists Gallery Nashville, IN, Arts Alliance Center, Bloomington, IN, Jasper Center for the Arts, Jasper, IN Aquaventure Exhibit, Lexington, KY | 1991 – current

Art Shows and Exhibitions

Where can we find your art? (For individual artists only; arts organizations may skip this section):

GALLERY REPRESENTATION & SOLO SHOWS

1991 Georgia College Invitational
1991 Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design / Wisconsin
1992 McNeese Works on Paper juried exhibition /Lake Charles, Louisiana
1993 By Hand Gallery / Bloomington, IN
1994 Flashlight Gallery / John Waldron Arts Center / Bloomington, In
1995 Ripe Gallery / Bardstown Rd./ Louisville. KY
1996 Silent Auction / John Waldron Art Center / Bloomington, IN
1997 Daisybrain Gallery and Media Center / Bloomington, IN
1998– 2000 Indianapolis Museum of Art / Alliance Gallery / IN
1998 Lydia’s Gallery / 6th St. Bloomington, IN
1999- 2007 Curator and Board of Directors/Bellevue Gallery Bloomington, IN
2001 Rosemary P. Miller / Waldron Art Center / Bloomington , IN
2002 Inspiration Spiritual Art Gallery / Lexington, KY
2002 Artists Row Gallery Bloomington, IN
2003 Rosemary P. Miller Gallery Waldron Art Center Bloomington In solo show
2003- 2009 Bellevue Gallery / Board of Directors group shows
2005 Wandering Turtle / Bloomington, IN solo show
2003 –present Consignee By Hand Gallery Bloomington, IN
2008 – present Bloomington Watercolor Society signature status
2010 The Womens’ Institute and Gallery New Harmony, IN solo show
2010 “The Equisite Uterus” Traveling juried Exhibit Madison WI curated by Helen Klesbodel
2011 Signature Status Watercolor Society of Indiana Juried Exhibit
2012 By Hand Gallery July Featured artist
2015 Solo Exhibit The Venue Gallery & Gifts Bloomington, IN
2015 The Womens’ Institute and Gallery Exhibit New Harmony, IN
2016 Solo Exhibit “With the Elements” Convention Center, Bloomington, IN
2017 Bloomington Watercolor Society Member Exhibit The Venue 6^th St.
2018 Bloomington Watercolor Society Member Exhibit
2018 Exhibit “Intuitive by Nature” Thomas Gallery Bloomington, IN
2020 AQUAVENTURE Juried exhibit Lexington, KY
2020 27^th Annual Juried Art Exhibit of the Jasper Arts Center.
2021 Member exhibiting artist Arts Alliance Gallery Bloomington, IN
2021 Group Bloomington Watercolor Society Member Exhibit at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, Bloomington, IN
2022 Solo Exhibition the Vault at Gallery Mortgage Bloomington, IN
2022 Group Bloomington Watercolor Society Member Exhibit The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, Bloomington, IN
2022-2024 Bloomington Watercolor Society annual member exhibit.
2021-2024 Arts Alliance Center Bloomington, IN
1993- present By Hand Gallery Bloomington

PUBLICATIONS

1991 September – October issue cover photograph Ryder Bi-weekly periodical
1992 McNeese Exhibition Catalog 5th annual works on Paper juried exhibition
1994 June 25 Arts & Entertainment Herald Times Newspaper Review by Lydia Finklestein
1995 July-August Bloomington Voice “Some Phenomenal Bloomington Artists”
1997 Herald Times Newspaper Arts & Entertainment Arts & Entertainment Herald times Newspaper Review by Lydia Finklestein
1999 May Bloomington Independent image from “Venus Envy” Exhibit
2000 December 10 Herald Times On Exhibit image “White Girl Voodoo Flag”
2000 “Looking Forward” Monroe Bank Annual Report
2001 February18 Hoosier Times On Exhibit Rock Study #1
2002 May 12 Hoosier Times Fine Arts Review by Lydia Finklestein
2002 Fall Indiana Review cover art
2003 January 30 Indiana Daily Student Review of Bloomington Breast Project
2003 August 15 “The Scene” Herald Times photo art
2006 December 3 “Off the Wall” Herald Times feature
2007 June Indiana Daily Student Review by Michelle Manchur
2012 July Indiana Daily Student Review of By Hand Bloomington Exhibit
2014 – present Home & Lifestyle “Artist Gallery”
2014 Artistic Touch 6. Edited by Don Unwin. “Lotus Mandala” and “Rock Series #6”.
2015 Kelly Gifford Evansville Courier Press Article on New Harmony, In Exhibit
2016 “Living In Watercolor” Article. H & L Magazine Vol. 12 # 5 June
2018 We’Moon Calendar published “Wild Women” limo print.
2020 Jasper Art Gallery Juried Exhibit “Monarda & Oak Leaf Hydrangea” Acrylic
2020 Lexington Kentucky Watercolor Society AQUAVENTURE 2020 Juried Exhibit “Monarda & Oak Leaf Hydrangea
2021 Bloomington Watercolor Society Member Exhibit.
2022 Invitational By Hand Gallery “Stories of the Ancestors”. January 2022 Aquaventure Juried Exhibit. Kentucky Watercolor Society February- March Lyric Theater Lexington, KY
2022 The Vault Gallery & Mortgage Bloomington IN “Intuitive Inspirations” solo Exhibit
2023 “Elements” Group Exhibition Artists for Climate Awareness John Waldron Art Center Bloomington, IN

EXHIBITIONS and AWARDS

1968-1972 awarded Kappa Kappa Kappa Scholarship for artistic merit
1991 Georgia College Invitational Print Exhibition
1991 Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design juried exhibition
1992 McNeese 5th Works on Paper Purchase Award
1993 Lilly Teacher Creativity “Odyssey of a Land and a People”
2009 Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship “My Search for Celtic Roots”
2009 Indiana Middle School Art Educator of the Year Art Education Association of Indiana

Outreach / Arts Education

Please provide information about your outreach or arts education program(s).:

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1985 – 2015 Art teacher Monroe County Community Schools

2000- present MANDALA PAINTING WORKSHOPS French Lick, IN. Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Culture Center, Bloomington Watercolor Society, Cancer Support Center, Bloomington, IN

Wild Soul Woman Certification © Teaching through Nature’s Landscapes, experientially using poetry, meditation and movement