Meet Sarah Bataille | Brand & Graphic Designer; Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Bataille and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
For as long as I can remember, I have always gravitated towards anything that would allow me to be creative. From a really young age, my favorite pastimes were writing short stories & poems. Coupled with always having my nose in a book, escapism through art and literature really molded a lot of not only who I am, but also how I viewed the world and those around me. So, it was only right that I guess I would find myself about 15 years later creating for small businesses and having people reach out to me and tell me that they can’t wait to work with me or buy my pieces. Honestly, the goal was never really to pursue art as a means to make an income. However, over what will be about 3 yrs of me taking this route, and looking into different career paths and even graduate programs since I received my B.A. this past fall, I don’t think I can see myself doing anything outside of creating. One thing I am looking forward to is merging my other love of working with the youth and doing community work with creating. I am not entirely sure how that will look just yet, but I am excited for when I get there.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When it comes to my art, the center and focus for some time now has shifted to centering black women in my work. Whether it be through actual clients that I take on or through graphic design collages and illustrations, I truly love working with women who look like me and who are in search of someone who is willing to try and understand their vision. What I am most excited about is perfecting my illustrations and lettering. Since starting on this creative journey, I’ve done some line art and illustrations here in there, but they were mostly done because I wanted to learn the programs I had been working with and trying to get acclimated to. Since my parents invested in my vision by buying me an iPad this past fall, (shoutout to them!) I’ve been able to understand and try out even more programs, which in turn has allowed me to take illustrations and lettering more seriously. I hope to practice and get good enough to open up a print shop with some custom-made pieces hopefully by the end of this year! Overall, I honestly haven’t “arrived” as a creative and there’s SO MUCH more for me to learn on both the creative and technical side as well as on the business and logistical end as well. One lesson that I am learning is that consistency truly is a major key to getting to where I hope to be. As for what I want the world to know about my brand and story, it’s that my work will also be a place for black women and women of color, to see themselves in my work. I also am working hard to be a person of integrity and great work ethic and professionalism which is something that’s also imperative to being a great creative that others can trust. This is something that been challenging for me, but with accountability and speaking with other dope creatives, slowly but surely, I am getting there.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am not even gonna sit here and type at this laptop like I am not a homebody because I most certainly am (LOL). However, when I do decide to come out of my hiding place, I love anything that involves the outdoors. So whether it be a park or doing a little window shopping, my main goal when going outside is to take in all that’s around me. Also, because I can love the inside of my home a little too much, I did have goals to explore some local coffee shops that I’ve heard of through close friends or through my scrolling on Instagram. However, with Covid, I don’t get to do as much as I would like. What I can say is that in my city, Pompano Beach, and my neighboring city of Ft. Lauderdale, there are some pretty cool art districts, (Ali Cultural Arts Center, Fat Village), and beaches to go and hang out at!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many people have contributed and poured into me as a creative. A few honorable mentions are my good friend Tim, (@timgaston2), a creative ninja, and the reason why I know so much today. Lune, Natalie, and Mirna of (@OikonomiaCreative); these women are creative geniuses in their own right, and I love working alongside them. My awesome community of friends who constantly encourage me to remember my worth and add tax. My mentor and good sis, Wolkenzye (themasterspiece_). My sisters, and also my parents, who are learning to trust me and the visions that I carry, even if all of the pieces aren’t quite there yet.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincerely.sarahy/