In July 2013, New York based illustrator and photographer Sarah Rosado embarked on a new mixed-media adventure she calls “Dirty Little Secrets”. A combination of art and photography, the idea for her creative dirt collection was inspired by online artists who created art using food and other items. All the illustrations are created with dirt collected from parks. Sarah uses simple tools to carefully hand-shape each creation. Once the illustration is complete, she photographs it against a white background.
“I wanted to challenge myself to do something totally different to what I was used to doing and unlike anything ever seen before. That’s how my dirt collection was created. I did the first piece and then the second and today I’m almost reaching my goal of 100 pieces.” explains Sarah Rosado.
The selected pieces for this article shows her passion for animals, emotions, feelings and beautiful places. The ants for example, were magnified to show that these tiny little creatures that live among us, unnoticed also face our same struggles of everyday life for survival, or the girl in the swing representing a carefree and happy attitude as she swings from the tree of life and the boy sitting on the ledge of the cliff feeling lonely or sad.
“My work is not over as I am always re-inventing and coming up with new ideas and creations.” says Sarah Rosado. She adds, “After I finish the dirt collection I will be doing something new and refreshing. I’m still in the decision making stage but am expecting that it will be as fun and challenging as my dirt collection.”
