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Sabra Booth presently resides in San Antonio, Texas. She is an MFA graduate of Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Before attending graduate school, she was an assistant to Tamarind trained master printers at the Houston Fine Art Press. Later, she attained national recognition as a science exhibit designer for the Ginzbarg Nature Discovery Center in Bellaire, Texas. In the earIy 2000’s, she lived in New York, for five years, teaching in the public schools and for several non-profit organizations, such as the Lower East Side Printshop. Early experiences on the beaches of south Florida and her present exploration of the Texas landscape affect her artistic vision. Booth’s studio practice offers interpretative observations of nature, while addressing complex ecological issues. Working in a variety of mediums, she uses drawing, mixed media, printmaking, and stop motion animation. Recent study abroad travels in Japan and a Fulbright Mid- Career Professional Grant to Finland in 2007, both have had a great impact on her work. In 2023, she had a solo exhibition, Tidemark: Coastal Explorations at K Space Contemporary in Corpus Christi, Texas. Also, in 2023, she exhibited in On the Waterfront, A View from the Coast (Line), a Central Booking and New-York Historical Society project. She has been awarded The Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation Grant in partnership with the Alamo Colleges Foundation and the Individual Artist Grant 2024 by the Department of Arts & Cul ... view more »
Resume (PDF)
Work Samples (PDF)
MORE ABOUT THIS ARTIST
Artist Style: Teaching Artist/Instructor: Group Instruction, Guest Speaker, Instruction for Adults, Instruction for Children, Instruction for Seniors, Workshop Presenter; Visual Art: Abstract, Collage, Contemporary, Environmental, Experimental, Focus on Color/Light/Movement, Formalism, Illustrative, Interactive, Landscape/Cityscape, Minimalism, Nature/Wildlife, Site-Specific, Social Commentary
Artist Statement of Work
Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):
Art making is my sieve for experiencing the world. Consequently, place often affects my direction. While on a 2007 Fulbright residency in Finland, I studied the rich heritage of Scandinavian design. This research led to further simplified forms. Natural objects are magnified and cropped until they become otherworldly. Like a 19th century naturalist, I often sketch and paint flora and fauna on site. I use these drawings as touchstones for my studio work. Design considerations are evident through the implementation of graphic line, negative space, actual texture, and limited color. I typically create an interplay between the gestural fluidity of water media and the structural line work of drawing or printmaking processes. Since my graduate thesis show, I have explored the play of light and shadow, incorporating translucent paper or glowing inks. Framing work and displaying animations with relevant found objects is another tactic employed. More recent trips to Japan have also had an important impact. Personally, I grew up on the beaches of south Florida and Texas. Ecological concerns are a principle aspect to my studio practice. Satirical humor and beauty are strategies utilized for pondering the realities of the Anthropocene Era. Some pieces also offer reflections on gender variations within nature and culture. Research does enter my studio practice with certain projects. Formats I use include artist books, large public installations, stop motion animations, and works on paper. My visual vocabulary is built upon a sense of wonder informed by observation of the natural world. Overall, a cast of mutant shrimp, frozen plants, and virile butterflies populate my art. These characters, like myself, are skipping or stumbling through a dystopic world.
VIDEOS
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Portals of a People, Stop Motion Animation, Explains uses of native plants and animal by indigenous peoples, Part of the 2019 Artist-in-Residence exhibit at the Unesco World Heritage Site: Missions National Historical Park, San Antonio, Texas. 4:47min. Mission San José 2019 Artist-in-Residence Program, Unesco World Heritage Site: San Antonio Missions National Historic Park San Antonio, Texas, USA In the exhibit, Portals of a People, Sabra Booth utilizes printmaking skills to create light works in the Soldier\'s Quarters exhibits area and granary in the north part of Mission San José. She also has directed a stop motion animation displayed in the Visitor’s Center. The animation uses plants and animal remains that were essential to the lifestyle of prehistoric local indigenous peoples.
