Artist Spotlight: Sara Rogers-Smith
Every month, we highlight one of the amazing artists in our reuse community.
This month, ACR has the privilege of spotlighting Sara Rogers-Smith of SRS Designs, a multi-passionate artist who uses beads and sequins to make delightfully sparkly embroideries and fabric scraps to create fabric twine for bowls and trivets.
Having grown up in a frugal household, Sara was drawn to ACR eight years ago for her affordable crafting needs. Now a core volunteer, she continues to appreciate the wide variety of donated crafting supplies available at ACR that allow her to stretch her creative muscles without breaking the bank.
Learn more about Sara and how using secondhand materials inspires her creativity in this interview!
When did you learn to bead and embroider and how did you start using recycled materials in your work?
I have been crafting my entire life. I started hand sewing clothes for my Barbies and doing cross stitch. After college, I was creating items with beads (lanyards and picture frames) and using monthly craft subscription boxes to try all kinds of new crafts (my favorite being mosaic tiles). Motherhood steered me toward scrapbooking and quilting.
About eight years ago or so, I discovered Austin Creative Reuse and started to incorporate scrap fabrics into my quilts and purchase small amounts of yarn to crochet scrappy blankets to donate to Project Linus. Being at ACR is like being a kid in a candy store and I loved collecting all types of materials to include in projects. When I started creating beaded embroidery art, I had a stash of beads and sequins from ACR that I was able to start with.
Do you have other creative hobbies?
I love all kinds of crafts. I tend to hyperfocus on one craft at a time and do that until I get my fill. When I am on long car trips or traveling, I always bring crochet with me so I can make cotton face cloths that I donate to For Every Child to use in the backpacks that they create for kids headed into foster care. My beaded embroidery art has spiraled into other beading projects like repurposing vintage wooden spools, beaded flower pot decorations, miniatures and more. Currently, I have been making twine from fabric strips (all of which I got at ACR for possible quilting projects).
Which aspect of creating is your favorite?
I love to create using bits and pieces that might not get a chance to be used. My beaded embroidery art can use hundreds of different kinds and styles of beads and sequins.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I saw the Instagram of a Spanish artist who was making beaded embroidery art with wooden beads to create mushroom gardens. It was like nothing that I had seen before and I was obsessed with looking at her pieces. I wanted to try it and I started making my own flower garden pieces. I love the sparkle and shine that I can create using various beads and sequins.
What is your preferred way to engage with your audience?
If anyone ever contacted me via social media, I would love that but I mostly get a chance to talk with people at the Reuse Markets. I’ve been a vendor at two so far and hope that I get a chance to be at future markets.
How does reuse play a part in your creativity?
I grew up in a very frugal household. Being cheap and saving money has been engrained in me. I don’t necessarily love being this way but it is hard to overcome. So it was just logical for me to try and save money when I am creating. When I am at ACR purchasing items I didn’t even know that I needed, I can get a great deal and be able to reuse something that someone else passed on.
Do you ever donate materials to ACR? If so, what compels you to donate?
Yes, I love donating to ACR. Since I am a core volunteer, I am able to bring in my items when I volunteer weekly. I purchase a lot of supplies from ACR and if it turns out that the item doesn’t meet my needs, it just goes back to ACR where I know that it will find another home.
Do you have a favorite ACR find? How did you use it?
All of my art is created in a bamboo embroidery hoop. In the summer of 2024, there was a large donation of hoops that was featured on social media and I was able to grab a ton for an awesome price.
Where can we find out more about your work?
@srsdesigns on Instagram and https://artbysrsdesigns.etsy.com