SARAH SIMMONS

On June 24 th , 2022, we all heard the U.S. Supreme Court Justices Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett, and Roberts as they officially reversed Roe V Wade, effectively eliminating the protection of body autonomy for anyone with a uterus. We heard them say it.
You aren’t worth protecting.
You aren’t capable of making decisions for your body.
You are only worth anything as a reproductive vessel.
You will stay in your place.
You will be hobbled.
We said FUCK.
We will not be hobbled.
We will not stay in ‘our place’.
Our worth is not tied to our reproductive capabilities.
We will make our own decisions.
We will not be unprotected.
We will protect each other.

The way words are used- intentionally, deliberately, accidentally, impact the receiver of these words in extreme ways. Like our natural environment, words can nurture, and words can destroy. I use discarded materials because they contain a multitude of stories to tell from their rich and varied histories, as well as being more environmentally friendly.
I use text in my sculptures to investigate ways we communicate with written language. I transform discarded materials in unexpected ways, creating work that appears superfluous and pretty, but upon further examination carries serious and deliberate meaning.

At the heart of my work lies unending curiosity and investigation into verbal, visual and written communication. My work researches and represents the varied perspectives and experiences individuals bring to the way they interpret and interact with the environment and the people around them. The way words are used- intentionally, deliberately, accidentally- impact the receiver of these words in extreme ways. Like our natural environment, words can nurture, and words can destroy. I collect materials from secondhand stores and from other people’s unwanted garbage. Many times, the unexpected interaction of two unrelated items will spark a new idea, such as a metal butcher’s apron and a handwritten journal. My sculpture falls into three main categories: altered dresses, smaller works, and the Bookgarden project. Works involving altered dresses typically begin with a text-based material like packaging, or a book, which I incorporate as a repeating pattern on a wearable garment. My smaller works also use text, and typically involve the reworking of everyday objects, or the representation of everyday objects in different materials. Some sculptures incorporate sewing and fiber to create books, or even pieces of cake. Other works ask the viewer to participate by adding their own words, phrases, and physical touch. I am intrigued by how our individual use of language elicits varied perceptions. I use discarded materials because they are sustainable and contain a multitude of stories to tell from within their rich history.

Sarah Simmons lives and works in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Sarah’s work has been exhibited at Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Minnesota Center for Book Art, Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media, as well as other venues in western Pennsylvania, including a Contemporary Craft’s BNY Mellon Satellite Gallery.
Sarah holds a BFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in Jewelry and Metalsmithing and an AA in Studio Art from Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland.
Sarah is a children’s programming assistant at Moon Township Public Library, where she promotes literacy, art and science. As the library’s resident artist, Sarah creates seasonal and themed displays from discarded materials. Sarah also works as a dyslexia tutor at Laughlin Children’s Center.