Sarah Page Named 2024 Walton County Artist of the Year

 

Artist Sarah Page is making a difference in her community. Since planting her roots in Walton County, she has been impacting public spaces by creating murals that balance eye-catching visual beauty and preservation of what makes these places special.

For Page, being chosen as the 2024 Walton County Artist of the Year brings excitement, gratitude and validation. The accolade honors a Walton County artist whose unique artistic expression captures the essence of the destination’s renowned creativity and beauty. “I am very proud and beyond thankful to this community for supporting the arts, and I’m honored to be listed among so many hard-working, talented artists,” Page says.

Her murals have been featured in locations such as Grand Boulevard in Miramar Beach, Watersound Town Center Pavilion and downtown DeFuniak Springs. Recently, her mural, “Culmination,” was included inside the tunnel of the new Inlet Beach underpass as part of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County program Art in Public Spaces.

She’s the artist behind the magnolia tree mural, “Swing in My Branches,” in downtown DeFuniak Springs, the town Page calls home. The image depicts over-sized magnolia blooms and a wooden swing extended from one of the tree’s branches, inviting nostalgia from passersby. The now immortalized tree had been a fixture in the community but was cut down in 2019 because its decaying posed a safety risk.

“It was this tree that had created so many memories for people,” explains Page. “They used to climb in the branches, and people would take pictures on the branches for their holiday photos. Everybody loved this magnolia tree.”

^{Photo courtesy of Alex Lewis}

Along with capturing elements of nature, environmentalism is also significant to Page’s work. She is drawn to the natural world and loves to be outdoors. “I want to be hiking. I want to be on the water. I want to be in the mountains and using my art to communicate that love,” she says.

On her website, Page says she’s an “adventure artist”, and that “adventure calls us to take risks, experience new things and have fun.”  Page is no stranger to taking risks – leaving a full-time job in nonprofit marketing to pursue art full time.

Page grew up in Georgia, and in 2003, her family moved to Santa Rosa Beach after having visited as tourists. She felt the call of creativity from a young age, explaining, “I've been artistic since I was a kid, but I really was always interested in art and creativity.”

Page credits her artistic father as influencing her art by teaching her to draw, and she discovered graphic design while attending the University of South Florida in Tampa.

After applying to the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s Shine Mural Festival, she became one of the 2018 open call artist winners. Her entry, “Progress,” is a striking mural in color and contrast. The image features a female astronaut floating on her back amidst celestial bodies and a terrain of bold blue and orange. Page drew inspiration from her interest in outer space and women in the science industry.

Then she came across a 1985 image she found online of Anna Lee Fisher, the first mother in space. This concept struck a chord with Page. “What is it like to be a mother and then choosing to still go to space?” she asks. “Because that’s a very risky thing.”

Like Fisher, Page is also a mother and knows the challenge of balancing family and work. Within this balance, keeping connected to her identity as an artist and an individual is important. “I know that when I'm working and creating, I feel reconnected to myself,” she says.

Her work also connects her to the community. The mural as an art form can enhance a space and add new meaning and connection into the everyday lives of residents and visitors. Page acknowledges public art’s impact, how it can brighten someone’s day.

“I think that's what artists do; we're able to translate our feelings into something that people can see and touch and connect to,” she says.

^{Photo courtesy of Alex Lewis}

Page is excited for the future, embracing doing what she loves. For her, being named Artist of the Year has felt like a dream. “It inspires me to keep creating and pushing myself in my artistic journey,” she says.

She’s an adventure artist who hopes to inspire others to go beyond their comfort zones, as she has done. This, combined with her passion for environmentalism, contributes to her artistry.

“There's a lot of ways artists have to be bold and courageous, that any of us in our life are called to step out of our comfort zones,” says Page. “This is what I want to do with my work – continually push myself and do things that take me out of my comfort zone and hopefully inspire others to do the same.”

To learn more about Page and her artwork, please visit sarahpageart.com.