Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Cantor
Hi Sarah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My earliest memories are all centered around creativity. I consider myself really lucky to come from a family that values and nurtures all my creative endeavors. I embraced every material presented to me in my art classes, but in high school I found my love of graphite and charcoal. My style was very realistic, as close to photorealistic as I could get. I loved it. I just never considered that it would actually be a career, or anything more than a hobby. During orientation at the University of Florida, I stumbled into an info session about the Graphic Design program. My key takeaways were “creative” and “competitive” so I decided to give it a shot! I absolutely fell in love with all things design. It seemed like the perfect culmination of all my visual interests, with the bonus of job stability. I could see my future as a Creative Director or even Founder at a boutique design studio and I was ready to make it happen. I graduated in 2020, straight into the global pandemic. Luckily I found a full-time design job at a quickly expanding studio, but I didn’t feel as fulfilled as I hoped. It was during the COVID-fueled TikTok frenzy that I discovered tufting! I was mesmerized. My wonderful and supportive partner bought me a starter set for my birthday, and I haven’t stopped tufting since! It was just a hobby for a while, then I tried selling on Etsy, and it all clicked once I brought my work out into the real world. I did my first pop-up market in August of 2023 and now I’m hooked!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Tufting can be a challenging medium. I’m very picky about my craftsmanship and it’s taken a while for my skills to catch up with my expectations. Tufting can also require a lot of space. When I first started, my partner and I were living in a loft where we shared an office. Everything was covered in yarn fuzz and we were basically in the same room 24 hours a day. Now we’ve expanded into a townhouse where I have my own studio space, but there’s still yarn fuzz everywhere 😉
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Something I’ve recently discovered about my artistic process is that my interpretation of the piece only comes once it’s finished. I go through plenty of ideas but there’s usually some invisible force that pulls more towards one concept than another. In 2023 I created a collection that included switchblades, brass knuckles, knives, cleavers, chainsaws, machine guns, etc. I feel really inspired to create things that involve complete juxtaposition. The image of a hot pink fuzzy chainsaw made out of yarn, complete with a tassel chain, turned out to be a much stronger image than I originally envisioned.
I specialize in mixed media art, which always starts with my foundational technique of tufting. By definition, tufting is creating surfaces (usually rugs) with a pile. I use a machine called a tufting gun which essentially punches pieces of yarn through special fabric and then cuts it at the desired height. The most time consuming part of my practice is carving. Once a piece is tufted, I use clippers and scissors to even out the yarn and create dimension within the piece. I ensure that my lines are meticulous and every strand of yarn is exactly where I want it. My precision really comes through in my series of tufted tools and weapons. I’m really proud of the craftsmanship of those pieces, especially the carving.
Tufting has gained popularity through social media, which has made it a more popular medium at shows and markets. I would say it’s my craftsmanship that really sets me apart. I’ve spent 4+ years practicing and improving my skills. If I’m going to put work
into the world and ask someone to spend their money on it, I better be delivering something top quality. I’m continuously looking to improve my process; I’ve already gone through four different frosting ‘recipes’ for my cake series.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Just freakin’ do it. Apply for the show. Message the artist you admire. Post your work online. For 2+ years I held myself back because I thought my work wasn’t good enough yet. I thought that if I just waited until everything was ‘perfect’ that I’d be an instant success. But people want to be part of your journey. They want to see your progress. Now I have repeat customers and Instagram followers who come say hi to me at shows! I’ve connected with an established artist I really admire and we even traded artwork! What’s funny is two years ago I said to myself “I’m gonna wish I had just started sooner.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mailchi.mp/368c0df5136c/fun-aunt
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funaunt_/
