Rural artist uses her surroundings as inspiration to shape her future

Originally from New York City, Sara Wolman finds herself in King Salmon, Alaska a devoted artist, illustrator, and naturalist using what she sees around her as a backbone for her creativity.

Wolman moved to Alaska in 2013, and for the past six years, she's helped many Alaskans find their voice through art.

“I would say that there’s been a real push in Bristol Bay and the smaller communities. There hasn’t been a lot of funding for the arts in general for schools, and I mean these are really small villages, sometimes a village for 40 or something like that,” said Wolman, “So bringing something like art into the schools there means a lot to people.”

Wolman is an education specialist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife who recently started an artist-naturalist class that’s free to the public. Through it, people can learn a variety of art mediums. She continues the outreach throught by winter by teaching in rural Alaska classrooms.

“[Art] is not about being perfect, it’s about enjoying the medium and what you’re doing,” she says.