Sacred and Striking
Through her Etsy store, ‘The Wilder Prints,’ Sarah Talbot is proving that even saints have a wild side.
By D’Ariel Myrick, University of Georgia
Sarah Talbot, a senior at Troy University with a major in Graphic Design and a Tourism Management minor, recently began an online Etsy shop, selling watercolor paintings of saints.
She is a passionate, dynamic individual who loves God and wants to help ignite the fire in everyone she encounters. Her Etsy online store, The Wilder Prints, is all about showing the wild, fiery side of saints, which reflects her fervent goal to spread her love and message of love for the Lord and life. Every saint represents relatable people, even in 2017, because we’re all humans striving to live life to the fullest and celebrate under whatever belief or lifestyle you choose.
“This semester has been incredibly tough. The last few months of college are supposed to be easy, spending what little time you have left with your friends. But, a Graphic Design degree is not the easiest to obtain. There’s a whole lot of hours that go into projects. And, on top of that, social activities with my sorority and countless Bible studies. Oh, and finding the time between all that to run my Etsy shop. I print each print to order. So, there’s a lot of running around to package and ship each one with care. I’m still trying to figure out the best system, but it’s all trial and error. Once I get a moment to breathe after graduation, I think it’ll be easier to sort out.”
“I honestly did not have much of a reason for choosing Graphic Design my freshman year, other than the fact that I didn’t know what else to do, and my mom was a Graphic Design major as well. I remember crying to my dad that, as an Art major, I couldn’t really help the world, like a doctor or therapist could. Hah! Four years later, I understand now how much the world needs artists. And good ones, who bring more truth, beauty and goodness to the world one work of art at a time.”
“The Wilder Prints is an Etsy shop where I sell high-quality prints of my original watercolor saint portraits. The idea behind The Wilder is to portray those who were wild and passionate about living a life for Christ. These people were insane! Martyrs, virgins, politicians, young women, old men—I want the world to see that the saints who have gone before us were people just like us, and that we too have the ability to live a wild life for Christ just like them.”
“I began painting portraits of saints when I was studying abroad in Sweden last year. Often, I would get lonely, separated from my church and warm southern home here in Alabama. So, I began to look to the saints as inspiration as I walked through my time abroad. These people have been everywhere and done it all. I would paint them in bright, vibrant colors so as to contrast the dark weather and dark culture I would encounter while there.”
“Often, I wish I could be a ‘soft flame’ so to speak, sharing the faith through gentleness. But, I am very much a stick of dynamite. I am a vibrant person, reflecting the work I portray through The Wilder Prints. I like to think I’m funny. And I try my best to be kind and stay humble, but let’s just say that I’m no saint yet.”
“After graduation, for the next two years, I will be working as a FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) Missionary. I’m very excited about that. After those two years, who knows what will happen. More mission work? Moving abroad? The convent? The options are endless. For now, I am just letting the Holy Spirit direct where he wants my blasts of dynamite, one decision at a time.”
“I never thought that my paintings would become a business. I painted them months ago just for me. But the Holy Spirit thought they needed to be shared, and the success of my shop has been evident. I’m always blown away every time I get an order, from friends, to random people all the way in San Francisco. That’s the coolest. People want beautiful things to look at, and people want to have their eyes directed to heaven. My prints are just one of the many ways to help make that happen. I could definitely not have done this without my friends who have been my biggest cheerleaders, showing me how necessary these prints are for the world.”
“I would say, plan a little, then just do. Etsy is awesome, and leaves a lot of room for error and figuring out how you want your business to run and what you want it to look like. Be prepared to take a big bite out of your wallet, and if you’re an entrepreneur or artist, give away as many pieces as you can afford, just to simply get your work and name out there. Eventually, with enough marketing and hours, the fruits of your labor will come through! There’s never a perfect time to start, so just jump right in.”
To view Talbot’s prints, check out her Etsy shop, The Wilder Prints.
