Sana Rose
Sana Rose is a mixed media artist based on the Caribbean Island of Jamaica who creates work in collage and assemblage. She graduated from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) in Jamaica with an Honours Diploma in Painting in 2000 and the Ohio State University in the United States with a Master of Arts Degree in Art Education in 2012.
Rose managed the National Visual Arts Programme at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission for several years, where she hosted and curated numerous art competitions and exhibitions, wrote for a national newspaper, and planned and implemented many cultural events and training for artists. Returning to her art practice after more than a decade in the art industry, she continues to create art with a renewed and steady commitment to nurturing her reawakened creative spirit.
Her work has been shown in various exhibitions in Jamaica, including at the National Gallery of Jamaica, and in Trinidad and Tobago. Her work is represented in the EMCVPA and Bank of Jamaica collections, as well as private collections in Canada and the United States. She is currently the Acting Head of the Department of Art Education at the EMCVPA.
Artist Statement
I have always had a natural inclination towards collage and assemblage, which began in my childhood when I used to make decorative items and gifts from discarded household objects. Over the years, as I formed my artistic vocabulary, I collected a variety of materials—from plastic, paper, and glass to metal and fabric—drawn to these objects through subconscious attraction prompted by color, texture, pattern, and form.
Through working with my hands, I seek to reclaim and recontextualize found materials and objects without stripping them of their past history. In addition to engaging with the duality of the past and their “new” present, I uncover other interesting contrasts in their interplay, such as hard and soft; plain and patterned; smooth and textured; shiny and dull; and discarded and useful.
As a redemptive process, my artmaking gives new life and purpose to discarded or broken objects—a process that draws many parallels to human experiences of feeling stained, hurt, or discarded. Paired with childhood memories of events and domestic spaces, my motifs range from silhouetted bodies and body parts to abstract shapes and textures, inviting the viewer to interpret their emotions or experiences into new thoughts and meanings.
What is your first memory of creating?
I don’t have one particular memory, but as a child, I was particularly attracted to drawing and taking found objects around my home to create my art projects. I used Styrofoam meat trays to make Mother’s and Father’s Day plaques, created several greeting cards with drawings and my own hand lettering, and even made a Christmas tree from milk and orange juice cartons. Of course, at that time, I did not have the vocabulary for what I was doing, as I did not understand it to be art. As long as I was making something with my hands, I remember my childhood self being very happy.
What is your relationship to your medium? What draws you to it?
Looking back at how I enjoyed upcycling found materials around my home and drawing, it is really not surprising that mixed media collage and assemblage have become integral to my artmaking. No one thing tells the whole story—textures, patterns, images, and objects combine to create the full picture. I like multilayered meanings that can be derived from using a variety of media, as well as the pictorial interest created with rich surfaces that have dimension.
What is the main thing you hope your audience takes away from your art?
I see my use of collage as a kind of redemptive process, where I ‘redeem’ images that have already served their purpose and are or will be discarded. I view this as a metaphor for a person having renewed purpose and life, even after life’s struggles have tossed them around and discarded them. I also tend not to completely cover up the objects and images I use because I want the whole story of the object to be seen. The combination of various textures and patterns reflects life experiences. Ultimately, self-love is the acceptance of one’s whole story, including the parts we don’t like, even as we improve ourselves, find renewed purpose, and express ourselves authentically.
Tell us about a challenge you overcame last year.
Putting myself out into the world to be seen has always been a challenge for me. I am introverted and shy and often stay in the background. Last year, I wanted to challenge myself in this regard and put myself and my work into the public eye. While I wouldn’t say I overcame this completely, as it is still a work in progress, I participated in a number of exhibitions and other opportunities that arose because I was showing my work. I launched my website and made a strong effort with my Instagram page, which kept me informed about local and international art showcases and connected me with other creatives. Last year produced some truly rewarding experiences with my art through written publications, art festivals and fairs, exhibitions, and even a local television feature!
What is your main goal or resolution this year in terms of your art practice?
This year, I am striving for consistent art production and better business organization. I want to level up my art business by keeping track of my art inventory and improving my record-keeping, while also maintaining the momentum of making art.
