American artist, Sara
Tole began her life as the daughter of a World War II, U.S. Navy, celestial navigation instructor and an artistically and
musically talented mother. After military life, her parents chose the slower pace of Fort Smith, Arkansas, where she made many childhood memories
of the beautiful state of Arkansas.
At a young age Sara Tole
married a sculptor-painter and relocated to Dallas. This led her to a multi-faceted career in commercial art as an artist and art director. As a Dr. Pepper Company art director, Sara produced print ads, point-of –sale materials, brochures,
annual reports, radio, and television commercials. Additionally, her vast knowledge
of the mechanical aspects of art production and printing made her a prime choice to teach at the Academy of Visual Communications, a continuing
education division of Southern Methodist University.
In 1980, Sara and her
husband opened their first art gallery to showcase their work, as well as the works of other artists. This led to the opening of several successful custom frame shops and galleries in the Dallas
and Plano area.
Woven through the years
of commercial art, teaching, ownership and management of art galleries and custom framing, and raising two children, Sara
still found time to paint.
Landscape, still life
and abstract paintings by Sara Tole reveal her design expertise. Clients are
drawn to her color palettes, composition and unique executions. The exposure
to many types of media and endless styles has inspired Sara to create a range of realistic, impressionistic and abstract works,
with her contemporary and abstract works most in demand.
Preferring the versatility
of acrylic paints that allow her to create a broad range of effects, it is evident that her expertise in combining these effects
is becoming her most recent focus and probably her trademark. Textures and the
rich layering of colors make her abstracts appear to glow with warmth and tempt the viewer to sneak a touch of the fascinating
variety of patterns in the paint.
In corporate and private
collections, Sara signs her artwork with her maiden name to keep the promise to her dying father to use the family name of
Tole. You can now view her work at the David Gates Gallery in Fort Smith, Arkansas; Woodstone Gallery, Kerrville, Texas as
well as Sara Gates Gallery and 3 Day Framing in Dallas, Texas.
Sara enjoys spending time
with her children, Zachary and Zoe Hannah, reading her Bible, gardening, traveling and fishing.
PAST MEMBERSHIPS
Hill Country Arts Foundation, Kerrville, TX
