ARTIST PROFILE | CONSIDERED MAGAZINE
We would like to introduce you to Sarah, Founder and Editor of CONSIDERED magazine.
CONSIDERED magazine is an independently published print magazine that features sustainable and mindful lifestyle articles.
When we discovered CONSIDERED magazine we were thrilled. It really embodied what we do here at Humble & Grand. Its focus is to share thoughts on how one can live a more mindful life, to consider the world around us, and what we chose to spend our time doing.
Sarah also wants the CONSIDERED community of artists and writers and photographers to have a platform to share their craft with others. A very noble and important thing in our opinion. As you see, the philosophy behind CONSIDERED is very much in alignment with ours. We appreciate the community of those trying to make life more mindful, to appreciate the moments, maybe even more than the end goal.
If you have not yet, delved into one of the CONSIDERED issues, you must. It makes for a very nice moment.
We hope you enjoy learning more about the founder and editor in chief of CONSIDERED magazine.
Why do you do what you do?
I started CONSIDERED Magazine as a creative outlet and to explore and connect with other people wanting to live a slower, more sustainable lifestyle.
Can you share a little about your background? Where does your creativity come from?
I was born in Northern Ireland and brought up in a family of 4 childrens and around 30 cousins! My upbringing was very modest, my mother and aunts were skilled at dressmaking and knitting so a lot of our clothes were made for us when we were little. It’s something I’ve always cherished and a million miles away from the fast fashion that we see today. I wanted to embrace the sentiment behind those traditional crafts and way of living.
I always loved being creative when I was younger, whether that was making things out of household packaging, drawing or arranging the furnishings in my bedroom. As I progressed through my studies and into a career I found myself spending less and less time being creative so I was keen to get back to that in some way. I bought a DSLR, learned through trial and error and went from there.
The two came together and CONSIDERED Magazine was born.
What’s your favorite artwork?
I don’t have one! I appreciate all sorts of artworks and think that one of benefits of the internet is how it has made art and art creation more accessible for all. On the walls on my home I have a mixture of artworks ranging from a print of Monet’s Waterlilies, an oil on board of an Irish seascape and line drawings of the female form by a good friend of mine.
What kind of routines or rituals do you have?
I’m a big fan of rituals. I have a puppy so morning walks have become an important part of our day. I live next to a woodland and love walking there, come rain or shine. The light can be magical and the scents and colours change with the seasons - it’s quite special. Bath time is a big one for me, I love an evening bath with essential oils, candles, sometimes music or a podcast. I can be in there for hours!
What’s your favorite thing that you created/ written?
That’s a tricky one. One that springs to mind is the piece I created when I returned from an awe-inspiring trip to Vietnam last year with TextileSeekers. Thao of TextileSeekers reached out to me to see if I would be interested in joining her and other ladies in a trip to Hanoi then onto Sa Pa to meet indigenous tribes of women who are experts in textile craft. It was such a privilege to meet these women in their villages and learn from them first-hand how to dye and embroider fabrics. We were even invited to the wedding of the son of one of the women whilst we were there which was an absolute honour.
What do you try to communicate through your craft?
With CONSIDERED, I aim to create an atmosphere that is inviting and calming yet stirs interest in sustainability and slow living. So far this has been through the imagery and words in the magazines, through sound with the CONSIDERED Playlists and CONSIDERED Audio readings and through curation in the CONSIDERED Gatherings (of which we only managed to hold one ‘in person’ gathering before social distancing measures were introduced, and one online gathering). Imagery-wise I find that I am drawn to dark and moody imagery which doesn’t always lend itself well to printed artworks but invokes a sense of calm I would say. There are so many talented creatives that have produced work for CONSIDERED in one way or another and have made it what it is.
Do you have any advice on how to be more creative? OR overcoming creative blocks?
Like a lot of people, I find that I’m most creative when I’m not trying to be. If I’m sat at a laptop or with a pen in hand I can often feel stifled as being creative isn’t a linear process. I find that when I look at lots of inspirational materials or visit inspirational places, then allow myself to switch off and relax, my brain will start to suggest ideas which I then jot down ad-hoc and later try and make some sense of it!
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Define your own measures of ‘success’ centred around being true to yourself and don’t be afraid to ‘fail’ in pursuit of this.
photo credit | CONSIDERED magazine
CONSIDERED magazine is available in the shop. Please use code "CONSIDEREDMAGFREESHIP" at checkout for free shipping.