Born and raised in Chicago, Chicago artist Sarah Whalen is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores nature, memory, and the human condition. Raised in the city during the 1990s, Sarah’s creative path began at Gallery 37, an artist apprenticeship program for inner-city youth. Armed with little more than a few pencil sketches on computer paper, she earned a spot in the program and spent her summers commuting downtown to Block 37—learning from Chicago artists, drawing still lifes, painting famous works on city benches, and wandering the Art Institute on rainy days.
Torn between art school and a more traditional career path, Sarah pursued both. She studied Advertising at Marquette University while also earning a Fine Arts Painting degree from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). After college, she returned to Chicago and spent over a decade working as a digital writer—a job that kept her creatively engaged while she quietly held onto her dream of returning to painting full time.
Today, Sarah’s practice is driven by the simple truth that she paints because she can’t not. For her, the creative process—not the finished piece—is the most fulfilling part. Her work combines soft washes with intentional marks to create tension and movement, often accompanied by a single song playing on repeat until the piece is complete. Grateful to finally do what she loves, Sarah continues to tell visual stories that connect emotion, place, and memory. Learn more about Sarah’s creative journey in her Canvas Rebel feature.