Hey there!

Artful Spark Design is the umbrella for the art and creative outlets of Sara Gradual (me!), a creative spirit and dreamer based in Dallas TX

After years working in the hospitality, convention, and fabrication industries, I took the scary leap towards what I'd always wanted to do: explore the mediums and arts I've always loved- and support myself and my family in doing so.

I has always considered herself somewhat of a generalist when it comes to art- good at a lot of mediums but often looking for the next thing to try. Having found three areas that have not lost their favor for quite some time, it seemed the time to take a chance on myself and make a go of being an "artrepreneur".

I'll likely always be looking for new things to try, but don't see design, sewing, or drawing ever losing favor with me!

While drawing has always been at the top of the list of my preferred mediums, it was only during the pandemic in 2020 that I fell in love with using chalk. With a driveway that offered a huge canvas and the opportunity to draw not only at a large scale drawing outside was a way to get outside and have time with my kids.

Inspired in large part by Tibetan Monks, who create sand art with mantras such as "Impermanence is the very fabric of our lives. It's not just that our lives are always changing; our lives are made up of change", chalk resonated with me in offering the freedom to regularly change what was displayed in front of my house along with the opportunity to make mistakes and try new designs and styles. Allowing nature to decide when it was time for something new provided- and still does- a way of teaching me to let go and accept the ongoing changes that life presents.

Fabric and textile art has always been a part of my familial history.

made did sell and I've been pretty skilled with a hand needle or sewing machine since!

Art is so many things. It can be visual, oral, aural. It can be theatre, literature, musical.

Growing up in an artistic family, I had access to supplies and knowledge that few are so lucky to have. In addition to loving to draw and create in many mediums, I was involved in theatre, was an avid book reader, and loved music. What I wanted to be when I grew up changed regularly (it still does some days), but there was never a plan that did not involve art or creativity.

I studied art in many forms in college but ended up focusing on graphic design for my degree. Following graduation, with the opportunity to travel I put off beginning a career in the field. With the tolls used in graphics and design evolving and improving so rapidly, I struggled to get back into the industry after taking time off (though I can't complain about my years living in places such as St Thomas USVI, the mountains of Colorado, and the beaches of

Both of my grandmothers were accomplished seamstresses. My grandmother Ellen was a skilled sewer who made clothing for her family and others, and was famous for her use of leftover scraps in making potholders and household items for many years for charities and non-profits as fundraisers. My grandmother Edith worked in Paris in the 1930s, where she was a part of the fashion and design scene before returning to the United States and starting her family. She was a lifelong quilter, weaver and dressmaker, teaching her three daughters how to sew and work with textiles. My mother and her sisters have always been skilled with a needle and while my mother did not make a career of it, she did share her knowledge with her own daughters and taught elementary art for decades. My aunts Judy and Barb both have long resumes of working with textiles from their business of handmade, custom painted silk clothing to expertise in batik, high end knitting, and so much more.

I participated in my very first art show at age 8 as part of the third generation of female artists on my mothers side. I'm not sure how much of artist I was at that point, but the stitched pieces I

Captiva) but was recruited into the convention and trade show world. There were many aspects of that world that I enjoyed and was good at, but graphics and the artistic side of creating displays always drew me in.

A move to working with a custom design and fabrication company allowed the opportunity to learn about construction and methods along with the chance to finally utilize my graphics knowledge more.

All of that along with my life as mom to two amazing kids who love music and pop-culture, the pull to graphics and the visual interpretation of words and music remains. Finding ways to put imagery to lyrics, messages, and humor is something I have always loved and if something I design can put a smile on someone's face or inspire a thought- well, that's definitely a win!