rowandahl

Having a child has had a profound effect on the work of America-born contemporary artist Sarah Rowan Dahl.

"I had a baby two years ago and she (Selah) has really influenced my work," Dahl said.  "Now my work is less serious and more whimsical."

Another change brought on by the presence of a baby in Dahl's life is her decision to work with acrylic paint beacuse "it dries quickly and is easy to clean up."

"Being a mother you don't have the luxury of working when inspiration hits.  You have to work quickly - you have to paint between loads of laundry and dishes."   

Becoming a mother has also changed her inspiration from the likes of Monet and Van Gogh to other mums that paint.

"Now my heroes are the ones that can organise their life around school schedules and still have time to paint, like Aimee Skinner from Heart Nouveau."

Beyond motherhood this Maroubra artist has found inspiration in the beachscapes at her front doorstep.

"I have been in Australia for four years and I have fallen in love with this country and its culture," she said.  Another passion is to use recycled canvases, like surfboards, and to raise awareness about global issues.

"The subject of my work alternates between figurative and landscape but one of the main purposes of my work is to raise awarness of important issues," she said.

Her next exhibition, "Flourish", at the Art Lounge Cafe at Coogee from August 5-31 will raise awarness of the Colour Sisterhood (coloursisterhood.com) and causes that support children's education in Third World nations. 

"The Colour Sisterhood supports Watoto, a ministry in Uganda that places orphans in supportive villages of mums with food, schooling, and medical care," she said.

"The Sisterhood has also recently teamed up with the A21 Campaign to create a website (beherfreedom.org) to help raise awareness, rehabilitate rescued victims and change legislation on human trafficking."

But for this woman committed to tackling deprivation on a global scale, there is one escape from the ugliness of this world: her art.

"I feel like I was put on this planet to paint and to bring beauty into this world," Dahl said.