Fine Arts
The art of being bold By Lin Parkin Gone Fishing
“Art is me. I have
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been creating stuff since I can remember. There is something inside of me that inspires me to create,” says Belleville, Ont.-based artist Sarah Winn. Winn describes her style as expressionism coupled with modern surrealism. It is edgy, unapologetic, authentic, bold, and saturated with colour. As a testament to this, at her Artists & Artisans Gallery & Studio solo show in March 2020, her collection included intimate portraitures of real people, including circus performers, punks, dominatrixes and drag queens. “Being bold speaks to me. It allows me to express myself freely and create art that most people are afraid to, not because they can’t physically do it, but they choose not to. Boldness, to me, breaks down taboos and 26
stereotypes,” says Winn. “I have always lived on the edge of society’s norm, so, with my art, I want to bring a voice and shed light to the viewer that we are all people, regardless of what we do.” Winn’s parents, also artists, are huge supporters of her work. “My Mum went to art school and studied fine arts. She is an amazing artist and is still creating beautiful pieces. She is one of my top fans and supports my art endeavours full-heartedly. My Dad paints more realistically, and he loves to build things. He makes working models of trains from scratch. He also supports my art, and although some of it is not his ‘cup of tea,’ he loves that I keep going.” Originally from Southampton, England, Winn’s family journeyed across the ocean in 1965 on a passenger ship