In our latest Downtime Interview, we speak with American collage artist Sarah Z Short, whose practice brings together found papers, vintage books and letterpress printing to create abstract compositions rich in colour, texture and structure. A former English teacher, bookbinder and paper maker, Sarah found her way back to collage in 2020, discovering a creative practice that connects her love of reading, writing and working with physical materials.
Drawing inspiration from artists including Richard Diebenkorn, Robert Rauschenberg, Kurt Schwitters and Sonia Delaunay, Sarah approaches collage as both a tactile process and an ongoing exploration of composition. Her work transforms fragments of old paper into carefully balanced arrangements, where marks, colour and printed text become integral elements of the image.
In this interview, Sarah shares her approach to sourcing materials, the importance of composition, and the quiet, restorative qualities of making. With ambitions to work on a larger scale, she continues to explore the possibilities of analogue collage while developing new collections and preparing for an upcoming solo exhibition.
Check out our latest Downtime Interview now 👀