Sarah's Biography

Sarah Wallace was born in La Jolla, California. Her childhood and formative years were very influenced by the Southern California environment. She raised her family in a beach house located in Malibu, California. Sarah’s ongoing love of the ocean and as an ardent beachcomber continued to expand her collection of rocks, shells, driftwood, and beach paraphernalia.

Sarah moved to Langley, Washington in 1984. Sharing her new life with Ivan Neaigus, together as artists, they became a part of the Whidbey Island art community. During this period Sarah produced a substantial body of work. In 1994 she was given first prize at Langley’s Choochokam Festival of the Arts (Sea Tree 1, see Previous Work), and participated in various shows and Art Studio Tours.

In December of 2001 Sarah was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Ivan took on the task as the primary caregiver, and together they began to deal with the challenge of their situation. Ivan tried various ways in creating quality time for Sarah. In November 2006, Ivan, inspired by the studies of Dr. Cameron J. Camp at the Myers Institute in Beachwood Ohio, re-organized Sarah’s studio into a shared working space. Ivan prepared the colored pencils and paper, and thus for Sarah it enabled her to begin a new body of work, named "Transitions." Unlike her previous work of stylized realism, her new work was totally abstract. At the beginning, starting with a blank page, Sarah intuitively developed the colors and composition. In the process of the work, Ivan used curved templates, compass, and rulers to faintly outline a geometric image, and from there Sarah with a freehand would begin to develop the work. The Transition works numbering 1-32 represent the sequence of execution.

In July 2007 and 2008 the works as prints were shown locally in the Youth Connection Show. In March 2009 there was a solo show at the Bayview Senior Center.

The studio has become a refuge space for Sarah, and is making a major impact to her life. As mentor-caregiver there is the occasional input of Ivan. His observation is beginning to unveil the use of the creative process as a healing tool for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s or any such related problems. It is hoped that as time passes these observations will be shared to help other family or professional caregivers.

For the past eight years Sarah has been participating in "Time Together," a respite program at the Bayview Senior Center in Langley, WA. The program using staff and volunteers has helped tremendously in giving her a social connection. In conjunction Ivan continues to attend a caregivers group at the center.

The "Transition" works are being reproduced in Giclee Prints, and will be offered for SALE in unlimited editions (see Gallery page). From the sale proceeds there will be a 10% contribution to the Time Together program, and 10% to Alzheimer's research.