Miami Shoot

Sarah Raskey

Cover Stories, MSM Online

Q&A Sarah Raskey Masterpiece with Nadja Atwal

Interviewed by Nadja Atwal/Photos by Erik Marthaler She’s back! A visionary artist, a licensed clinical professional psychotherapist, certified art therapist and a former graduate art therapy/psychology professor at both the school of the Art Institute of Chicago and DePaul University, MSM sits with Sarah Raskey for our latest cover story. You can find her art at her own Sarah Raskey Fine Art Gallery in West Loop, Chicago where she exhibits her work exclusively. Sarah is also the co-founder/owner of Open Avenue Therapy, a Chicago-based private psychotherapy practice since 2008. She has exhibited nationally and internationally since 2000 and had created a prolific volume of work in both residential and commercial settings. Some of her notable works: She has several pieces at the Kimpton Hotel Allegro in Chicago which includes an 8’ x 6’ three-dimensional self portrait adorned with vintage jewelry, as well as 90’ of custom carpeting. Within the last years she has also created an illuminated 16’ x11’ custom art wall for MB Steak restaurant located in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. What made you decide to make art your profession and how did you get started? I have created since as far back as I can remember and art making could easily be considered my first love. Creating felt like this whole secret world I was connected to that held endless possibilities for me to explore and it came as natural to me as breathing.  In high school I began to take college level courses and I attended university with an art scholarship. I double majored in both art and psychology as I was completely fascinated by art as it related to body, mind and spirit which led to getting my masters in art therapy.  I deeply believed then as I do now, that art held the capacity for profound healing and could be looked at even as a planetary resource. After I graduated from college I began to exhibit and sell my work out of the love of being able to share my work and connect with others, while simultaneously working as a full time art therapist at a mental health facility. My commitment to the potentiality of art manifested into my pioneering that facilities first art therapy program servicing at risk youth living with mental illness as well as becoming a graduate professor at the art institute of Chicago. I guess what I am getting at is that art has always been so integrated into the landscape of my personal life, that art being a large part of my professional or career path was never really a decision as much as it was just never a question.  Ironically during a time period when I was physically debilitated by health issues, it was art once again that I turned to and leaned into more than ever to cope and to heal. Working as a full time art therapist at my private practice during that time period proved to be exceptionally energetically challenging after having undergone several surgeries. So I began again to use my art intensely as a tool to work through parts of my emotional and physical reality, when words were not enough. That moment in time was a pivotal catalyst that shifted my focus to more of the commercial art realm.  There was something so fragile about my health and my gift that I made a promise to my art that once I was finally on the mend, I would give my creative life much more of my time and attention. It was a way to honor my artistic journey while I continued to heal and remained deeply moved to share work differently and more robustly however I could. Some artists don’t support the commercializing of art. Others – like Dali – did it successfully and felt it was simply a way to make their art accessible to more people? Where do you stand on that topic? Entering more fully into an art market was never about anything other than my raw, pure, authentic, love of creating. For years I have been deeply driven to connect with others and cultivate meaningful dialogue about art by the sharing of my self expression. I actually see it as an extension of my work as an art therapist.  My creation of highly customized personal work for clients has undoubtedly been another way to encourage people to engage, reflect and flourish in the art realm as it pertains to their own story. It is similar in nature to that of a tattoo artist by creating something for someone else that holds deep meaning for them that they can look at every day. Perhaps I also subconsciously have always perceived the visual arts to be a bit of an unsung hero. My hero. And one I wanted to spend as much time with as possible. So it has always been a top priority of mine to raise as much awareness and accessibility to the potentiality of the visual arts as possible. This means accepting the gravity of being able to reach as many hearts and minds as possible all over our planet.  In my opinion, so long as does not disenfranchise the integrity of the work of an artist, the commercialization of art can be a healthy vehicle for allowing a broader audience to be an active part of the conversation of arts value – not just from a marketplace perspective but the value that art brings to the table in the way of self care and unity. How did the Chicago art scene react to you given that you are a woman and on top stunningly beautiful? If I am being fully transparent, I struggle to answer this. Whether in Chicago or any place else for that matter, I have always been self conscious that my being a woman in general could interfere with how my art was received and valued. That my appearance could be entirely problematic. That no matter what I have done or

Arts, Culture, MSM Online

My Miami – Sarah Raskey

  Interviewed by Nadja Atwal In a world full of overhyped and underdelivering artists, Sarah Raskey stands out with a rare combination of jaw-dropping creative skills, academic accomplishments, commercial success, praise by critics, plus – last but not least – remarkable grace and beauty combined with an adorable personality. She is a visionary artist, a licensed clinical professional psychotherapist, certified art therapist and a former graduate art therapy/psychology professor at both the school of the Art Institute of Chicago and DePaul University. You find her art at her own Sarah Raskey Fine Art Gallery in West Loop, Chicago where she exhibits her work exclusively. Sarah is also the co-founder/owner of Open Avenue Therapy, a Chicago-based private psychotherapy practice since 2008. She has exhibited nationally and internationally since 2000 and had created a prolific volume of work in both residential and commercial settings. Some of her notable works: She has several pieces at the Kimpton Hotel Allegro in Chicago which includes an 8’ x 6’ three-dimensional self portrait adorned with vintage jewelry, as well as 90’ of custom carpeting. Within the last years she has also created an illuminated 16’ x11’ custom art wall for MB Steak restaurant located in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Miami has a special place in her life: Sarah is the resident artist at Loews Miami Beach Hotel where she has designed and created a number of pieces including a 36’ curved and illuminated sculpture wall encrusted with natural crystals, custom carpeting throughout all of the hallway corridors and textile headboard walls in all of the 750+ guest rooms. If you can’t see it in person, at least follow her on Instagram and expect your eyes to open wide and your heart to skip a beat… Obviously we could not wait to learn about Sarah’s take on Miami… When in Miami you may catch me at… Definitely checking out a variety of new places that may have popped up in town since my last stay; but also revisiting my absolute favorites – Loews Miami Beach Hotel and Wynwood Walls are a must for me. And while I hate to…I have to give a stock tourist answer as well :I always try to carve out adequate beach time. There is no denying how brutal Chicago winters can be and Miami sun is the perfect antidote. The biggest misconception about Miami is… I think the biggest misconception about Miami is that its “best” offering is its postcard worthy beaches. I have found that there is so much more that Miami has offer. I love all of Miami’s art deco eye candy and iconic structures. It isn’t hard to peek around and find that this city has so many layers and is quite saturated with hidden gems and lots of soul. The last restaurant I enjoyed in Miami was… Byblos! Being a vegetarian it is a favorite of mine. It is this gorgeous Eastern Mediterranean restaurant with delicious vegetarian options, ambient atmosphere and these days even a swanky late night lounge. What surprised me about Miami was… Initially I found myself surprised by how art-centric the city is and how much it embraces the value of art and artists. Miami plays host to some of the most renown art happenings in the world including Art Basel and is home to a diverse and rich art culture such as the ever-evolving Wynwood Art District and Little Havana. Best reason to return to Miami aside from the weather? I am drawn to Miami’s colorful and full spectrum of nightlife and happenings and Miami’s overall “come as you are” vibe which makes it easy to just dive in and become immersed in the fabric of the community and culture. One of my very favorite things to do while visiting Miami is to listen to the spectrum of live music it has to offer and indulge in the electrifying vocals. Miami is brimming with unique spots to catch great live performances and some of my favorite spots showcase flamenco dancers. Its a specific kind of vibrance and one worth seeking out. First time I became really curious about Miami was… I came to visit Miami for the first time when I was 20 years old. Ironically, I stayed at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, and I will never forget just how special it all felt. I couldn’t put my finger on it then. But years later, I see exactly why Miami felt so special and why it will always have a place in my heart not only for my artwork but for my experiences. What happens in Miami stays in Miami…and our magazine. Any secret or funny moment you ‘d like to share about you and this city? I’ve had no shortage of epic or comedic moments in Miami, and I should probably only say that much! But what I can say, is that in my experience, what happens in Miami actually does not stay in Miami! I have serendipitously met some of the most incredible people in Miami over the years who I would consider dear friends still to this day. So while the details of our adventures may stay in Miami, the friendships have followed me home and I am grateful for that.    

Scroll to Top