Sarah Fairchild - Roy Alum, 1994
I had my first professional art exhibition at Roy G Biv Gallery in 1994, just weeks after graduating from the Columbus College of Art & Design. That opportunity was instrumental in helping me begin my career as a professional working artist. I also had the opportunity to exhibit with Roy G Biv several other times throughout my career, which allowed me to continue building relationships and remain connected to the Columbus arts community over the years.
Spaces like Roy are essential at every stage of an artist’s development. Exhibition opportunities, professional experience, and artistic community cannot be underestimated, especially in an era increasingly shaped by cell phones, digital culture, and AI. Physical spaces where artists gather, exchange ideas, and build real relationships are more important than ever. Many of the most important opportunities in my career have come through relationship building, showing up, supporting other artists, and participating in the larger arts community. Those are the environments where ideas are sparked, collaborations begin, and careers grow.
My experience with Roy G Biv Gallery eventually led to a fifteen-year commitment with a sister arts nonprofit organization, which introduced me to many artists, curators, arts administrators, and civic leaders working within the arts. Nonprofit galleries like Roy are also invaluable because they create visibility and place artists’ work in front of curators, collectors, and peers in ways that can open doors to future opportunities.
I return to Columbus often, and I am genuinely pleased to see that Roy G Biv Gallery continues to thrive and support emerging artists today.
https://www.sarahfairchild.com/
Bio: Sarah Fairchild. Using diverse materials and techniques to create rich surfaces and depict resplendent habitats, Sarah Fairchild’s dazzling mixed-media landscapes incorporate painting, silkscreen, fabric, crystals, metallic foil, and flocking. Her work reflects a deep concern for the environment, both creating and representing natural forms through a synthetic lens. Drawing on the ancient concept of Anima Mundi, she explores the idea of a world soul and the intrinsic connection between all living things.
Fairchild has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Her institutional exhibitions include The Gilded Wild at the Columbus College of Art and Design’s Beeler Gallery and Printed Textiles at the Schweinfurth Arts Center, Auburn, NY. In 2024, her work was the subject of a solo exhibition, Anima Mundi, at Contemporary Art Matters, Columbus, OH. Fairchild completed three public projects commissioned by Arts Brookfield, including Bloom at One Liberty Plaza, NYC, and Cruciferous at the Grace Building, NYC. Recently she produced two print editions with Powerhouse Arts for Haystack Editions, continuing her exploration of printmaking and collaborative processes. Her work has been featured in New American Paintings and Studio Visit Magazine. Fairchild’s work is in both public and private collections including The Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio; The Pizzuti Collection, Columbus, Ohio; The State Palace of the Hubei Province, China; and Ohio State University, Wexner Center Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. In 1994, Fairchild earned her BFA from Columbus College of Art and Design and is currently represented by Contemporary Art Matters Gallery.