Summertime Happiness

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Sarah S.

Sorry, Lana, this summer (late spring??) has actually been quite the opposite of sad so far. I ran a personal record in the Pittsburgh Marathon, rode a bike through the Dutch countryside, shopped my heart out on the busy, cobblestone streets of Madrid, made serious headway on home decorating (Ikea trip, anyone?), spread the word about The Uncovered Artistry Project and our mission during a radio interview on The John and Kathy Show on Word FM, proudly watched both my sisters claim diplomas, and thanks to a sudden, intense burst of inspiration while binge reading post-apocolyptic teenage dramas Divergent and The Hunger Games, decided to a commit to an early summer bout of National Novel Writing Month.

Also, I finally clipped my cat’s nails, which should totally count for something.

So what’s in store for the remainder of the summer besides noveling and not getting accidentally scratched by a shedding fur ball?

Hopefully a lot more of this:

Keepin' it real for race day! #aerie #aeriereal #marathon #26.2 miaprimcasa.com

How are you enjoying your summer?

Cheers!

Sarah

p.s. I make Pinterest boards that correspond with my Spotify playlists.

For real.

Baby Went to Amsterdam

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Sarah S.

Ready for a quick trip through the stunning Netherlands? Scroll through my favorite photographs from my week-long stint in my sister’s new home.

Amsterdam

bike culture at its best

vintage shopping in Jordaan in Amsterdam

the moment I realized that I bought the right back pack for this trip

hagal slag (aka sprinkles. but doesn’t it sounds so much better in Dutch?)

Badgers’ pride in Den Bosh

beauty at the rijksmuseum

the Heineken Experience. there’s only one.

den bosch garden of earthly delights mural

Hieronymus Bosch leaves his mark

Dutch roses in bloom

high top sneakers european fashion inspiration

black eyelet high tops that served me well on cobblestone, train platforms, and bike pedals alike

stroopwafel- a dessert second only to gelato in my book

the best thing about The Netherlands? a beautiful and thriving bike culture. not to mention no hills.

the cathedral in Den Bosch

a little bit of our nanno in Holland

Want more inspiration from Amsterdam? Check out my newest Pinterest board:

tot ziens!

Sarah

Pittsburgh Marathon Playlist

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Sarah S.

Five hours of the best music I could find. Starting with, of course, the most epic song ever created.

Cheers!

Sarah

Why I Started Uncovered Artistry

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Sarah S.

Two years ago (has it been that long!?), I wrote a piece explaining part of my motivation for starting the Uncovered Artistry Project. The reasoning still rings true today. And there are so many words I would add (stay tuned!)! Take a moment to read the below and get a stronger understanding of why my sister and I are doing what we’re doing with our organization. And please, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Why I Started Uncovered Artistry

Originally published on May 10, 2012

Several weeks ago, I saw Gloria Steinem speak. “It took 100 years for women to achieve legal equality in America,” she said, “And it will take 100 more for us to achieve social equality.” At first her statement was nothing less than despairing. I want to be a successful businesswoman, and to hear that I still face obstacles in my success is not easy to accept. But she is right. Women are not treated equally, and the worst thing we can do is say that women’s fight for liberation and equality is no longer necessary. Women my age often chose to ignore this fight. They prefer to assume that the women’s movement is a movement of their mothers from years passed. They like to think that feminism is for radicals. They like to pretend that they don’t see the signs of women’s inequality.

I started The Uncovered Artistry Project because I believe that domestic and sexual abuse has no place in our society. Abuse does not have to exist. It is a societal disease that can be cured with education, awareness, understanding, and a constantly renewing perception of humankind.

Until there is no more rape or domestic violence or other abuse against anyone (women, men, and children alike), our world is not equal. Abuse against women is enough for me to stand proudly for today’s women’s movement. My contribution to The Uncovered Artistry Project is my contribution to the struggle for equality for everyone. What is your contribution?

Never Look Back

screenprint on canvas, sarah spoto, 2014

A Hole in the World the Shape of Me

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Sarah S.

“It makes me want to find a hole in the world the shape of me and just fill it up.”

That moment when you realize that following your dreams, not following your boyfriend –or following someone else’s dream for you or doing what “everyone else” is doing or making the easy choice– , is what’s going to make you happy.

Visions of Monaco (in 6 Screens)

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Sarah S.

If you follow my Instagram, you might be surprised to learn that I actually do in fact do more than just cook vegan food, go clothes shopping, and take adorable pictures of my cat. Actually, one of my latest ventures has been a beginning screen printing class at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. My ultimate goal is (to probably no surprise) to screen print on t-shirts and home decor items (think: inexpensive throw pillows!). But for my first project, I wanted to keep it 2D, and instead decided to create a vintage-inspired Monaco Grand Prix poster for my dad (in exchange for some handmade metal screens, of course…). I pulled inspiration from posters, below, and overall I am very satisfied with the piece. It took six unique screens to print and a lot more time that I originally thought (I didn’t use photo emulsion but instead hand “painted” the design onto the screen), but it’s a great start to what could be a pretty awesome body of screen printed work.