Wisconsin artist named national VSA arts/Volkswagen Grand Prize finalist
Sarah Muehlbauer of West Bend was named the Grand Prize finalist for "Green Light," a national juried art exhibition for young adult artists with disabilities who demonstrate promise in the visual arts, sponsored by Volkswagen of America, Inc. Sarah will receive $20,000; VSA arts and Volkswagen will present the finalists their award in the form of a check and framed certificate. The guest list includes the finalists, Senators, members of Congress, members of the VSA arts Board of Directors, VSA arts affiliate executive directors, and members of the arts/education/disability communities.

View video clip from Sarah's original submission.

On Sept. 25, VSA arts hosted a brunch and a trip to the exhibition at the Smithsonian. The artwork will be on display at the S. Dillon Ripley Center of the Smithsonian Institution through Jan. 4, 2009. A second work by each of the awardees will be on display in the Kennedy Center Hall of States through Nov. 2

Sarah Muehlbauer bio

I began creating art as a child. My crafty mother taught me to cross-stitch, bead, and sew. In high school, art fell to the sidelines in favor of athletics and academic goals. It wasn’t until I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison that it became my focus. Initially I pursued painting as a way to learn the visual arts language, but eventually I gravitated towards the textile techniques I’d learned as a child.

I became ill during my second year of college. I tried to balance a full schedule, but had trouble keeping up. I visited specialists weekly as the gravity of the situation set in. I was diagnosed with severe Crohn’s Disease and scheduled for major surgery. Through everything, art kept my mind occupied and gave me something to work towards. It became a driving force, filling a constant need to experience something positive and creative to contrast events in my life. I was lucky to have wonderful Professors like Nancy Mladenoff, my first painting instructor, and T.L. Solien, who worked with me as I struggled through those times. Since surgery, art continues to be a motivating force, and as I become more attentive to my condition, it becomes easier to live and to work.

My work plays with the sculptural capacity of garments based on an interest in the boundaries created between the body and the environment in which it’s worn. I’ve come to understand that though it does not deal with the subject of Crohn’s in a direct, representational way, it is always present in the underlying tension of the materials used. Through a contrast of soft materials and hard lines, I evoke sensations of both protection and fragility, reflecting the complex relationship I have with my own physicality. Because of the nature of my work and the way it transforms when worn, I document many of my pieces through performance-based videos that transform and elevate the mood.

I will enter the MFA program in Fibers at Tyler School of Art this fall. Living with Crohn’s will make this difficult, as the cost of medications, doctor bills, and healthy-lifestyle options adds up. To complicate the matter, chronic pain and low energy levels make holding down a job while attending school difficult. Furthermore, Tyler’s program offers little financial assistance, and I will be paying out of state tuition. With the help of Green Light, I would be able to make ends meet and continue my education in the arts.