From Alaska to Artistry: Journey Through Paper & Purpose

In this episode, we journey into the world of delicate detail and creative discovery with Alaska-born artist Sarah Lawrie. From the misty shores of Sitka to her studies in New Zealand, Sarah’s path to finding her artistic voice is as layered and intentional as the papercutting art she’s known for. She shares how she discovered her unique medium, and why she believes creating with intention is a powerful gift.

We also explore her collaborative tarot deck project, inspired by life in the Great North and rich in personal symbolism. Sarah opens up about navigating motherhood, artistry, and the deep meaning that fuels her work.

Whether you're an artist, a creative soul, or simply someone who appreciates meaningful stories, this episode will leave you inspired by Sarah’s mindful approach to creativity and her ability to craft beauty from a single piece of paper.

Timestamps for Easy Navigation:

0:16 Introduction
1:40 Sarah's Alaskan roots and artistic Journey
5:53 Education and Artistic Development
8:38 Exploring Paper Cutting Art
12:08 Tarot Card Project
16:05 Personal Development and Alignment
19:26 Turning Art into a Business
22:41 Community Service
25:10 Sarah AND LouAnne's 3 Golden Nuggets of Wisdom

More about Sarah:

Sarah is a practicing artist who was born and raised among the rain and trees of Sheet ’Ka (Sitka), Alaska. Her love of art was nurtured while earning a master’s degree in fine arts from Dunedin School of Art in New Zealand where she studied papercutting. Sarah is married with two children.

Papercutting is a captivating art form that entails delicately slicing through a single sheet of paper with a knife to craft intricate designs. This centuries-old decorative technique continues to thrive in contemporary practice.

Sarah is particularly fascinated with hidden meaning embedded in artwork, so when her friend, Emily, approached her about creating a deck of tarot cards, she became excited about using papercutting techniques to create on the theme of the Great North. What Sarah loves about cutting paper is the process and that you must begin with the end in mind; there is little room for error. Sarah says that the process of creating detailed handcrafted work aligns her with one of God’s gifts- the ability to create. Sarah and Emily closely collaborated on the cards, and the deck features motifs and people important in both of their lives.

The Papercutting Process

Queen of Coins
First, I conduct research on the symbolic meaning within the card. This knowledge is channeled through my experience of life in Alaska. I typically try out various compositions and seek input from Emily. Then I sketch the final for cutting. This allows me to begin with the end in mind.
Then, I can begin cutting. I tend to follow the sketch as I already have the vision in mind, however there are usually small modifications made at this stage. I stop cutting frequently to hold the papercut up to the light to test composition.

Queen of Coins is near completed! The waves at the top are whale song and the queen of coins is a humpback whale. The mountain in the background is Mt. Edgecumbe in Sitka, Alaska. Following completion, this is then glued onto a piece of white paper, scanned, and resized for the tarot card.

Visit Sarah's Website: https://www.justsosarah.com/

Learn more about The Mindset Playground and host LouAnne Hunt: https://louannehunt.ca/

Thanks for tuning in and see you for the next episode on the playground!

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