Overview

When Sarah Beetson was seven years old, she had three ambitions – to win Wimbledon, to be a rock star, and to illustrate a children’s book like Quentin Blake. She’s come pretty close to meeting that third ambition, and has major clients in fashion, editorial and publishing. She also shows in galleries around the world.

Sarah spends most of her year in Queensland, Australia, returning to the UK for a few months now and again, on top of her other globetrotting endeavours such as a three-month artist in residency at Coney Island, New York.

Training

Sarah received a first class BA in Illustration from Falmouth College of Arts.

Approach

Sarah begins by creating a background using spray paint, tissue paper and/or collage, which is applied to paper, wood, a photographic print or fabric. She then draws the linework using Pilot G Tec C pens. The image is rounded off with a full range of mixed media that can include acryl-gouache, markers, gel pens, crayon, stickers, vintage magazine clippings, beads, sequins, Letraset… and more.

Style

From out of the chaos emerges glorious illustration work that finely balances colour, line and texture for a unique effect. Pop culture and plenty of vintage influences shine through in Sarah’s work. Her rock t-shirt collection includes shirts for Purple Rain, The Wall, Live Aid '85, Rebel Yell and the Joshua Tree. She’s also inspired by space travel, Coney Island, Americana, film director John Waters and artists like Antoni Gaudi, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Julie Verhoeven, David Downton, Antonio Lopez and Jamie Hewlett.

Client List

• MAC Cosmetics
• Mary Portas
• Smithsonian Mag
• The Sunday Times
• The Telegraph
• The Wall Street Journal
• The Miami Herald
• Penguin Books
• The British Fashion Council
• Reader's Digest
• Delta Airlines
• Trader Joe's
• Compendium Inc
• EMI Records
• Ford Germany
• Ernst & Julio Gallo
• Monoprix