about

Sarah Borg



Sarah Jane Borg  (nee Hambly)


I have been a professional artist for 40 years.


Born 1950. Newton Ferrers, South Devon UK.  From a farming background in the South Hams.


Journey to becoming an artist.  Late teens I started to copy the Masters and to learn by observation


1970/71 Children's nanny to the Hick's family (Lord Mountbatten's grandchildren) David Hicks was an Interior Decorator/Artist.  Art was in the family, Lady Pamela Hicks greatly encouraged me to paint.   My eyes were opened to a more sophisticated world.  Classiebawn Castle, the Bahamas, Lyford Cay, Eleuthera Island, Museums and original Art.


1970's.  Self employed I created and sold handmade toys.  Selling to small boutiques,  Tridias Dartington Hall and Dingles House of Fraser. Kept painting mostly watercolours.


1978 went to New York as Mrs. Heinz's social secretary where I could view first hand original Renoirs, Mogdigliani and round the corner was the Met.  Extroardinary inspiration.


1979 Florida.  I met my future first husband who was a co founder of Greenpeace in '72 and my interest in "Saving the Whales" was sparked.  We travelled across the US and along the breathtaking Californian coastline to Vancouver Canada where I met Paul Watson, another co founder of Greenpeace, who seperated to create The Sea shepherd Conservation Society in 1977.  


1980. I returned to the UK and by now accomplished enough in my art to be offered my first exhibition in 1980.  By 1985 I was a published  artist, exhibiting regularly and making a living.   Art sales gave me the opportunity to volunteer and set up Sea Shepherd UK in 1985 specifically for Paul's campaign to stop the horrific, traditional pilot whale slaughter in the Danish Faroe Islands. With BBC 2 onboard filming the documentary Black Harvest and the M/V Sea Shepherd 2 docked in Plymouth, school talks and a sponsored walk, the children of Plymouth raised funds for that first campaign.

1986 I liaised between Paul, Rod Coranado and David Howitt, (our operatives in Iceland), who sank half of Iceland's whaling fleet and destroyed their processing plant saving 17 000 plus whales from capture.


My art was flourishing.

Exhibitions from 1980 to 1988 in the UK were building.  I was published by three art publishing companies, Solomon Whitehead, Polytint and Manuscript.  Solomon and Whitehead's CEO Squee Solomon was a huge encouragement for me and became a lifelong friend and had a "Sarah Borg wall".  David Shepherd published by Solomon and Whitehead was taught by Robin Goodwin (Marine artist) who lived in Newton Ferrers.  A few portraiture lessons with Robin led to both he and David Shepherd at one of David's fund raising exhibitions at the Devon Shire Horse Center, naming me as an "up and coming artist" to the audience!   I still glow all these years later at the mention. 


Exhibitions 1980 to 1988 in the UK

Mostly known for beach paintings, family, dogs and horses I was represented by...

The Barbican Gallery, Plymouth, with noteably my first sell out show early in my career.  A gradual following of Patrons and collectors.

AB Gallery Salcombe.  Adam Arnold Brown, a well known art dealer and patron sold my work for 17yrs. 

Royal Tunbridge Wells The Pantiles (Exhibition)

The Lion House Gallery Mortonhampstead (Exhibition)

Wadebridge Gallery, Cornwall

St. James Park railings London.


USA. 

Represented by The Waterhouse Gallery Solvagn California. Mid '80's

1987 our daughter was born and we moved to Sweden in 1988.  Followed by three siblings, dogs, cats and ponies in the idyllic Swedish countryside.


SWEDEN....Numerous exhibitions over 30 years, mostly through Art Societies run by Swedish  Companies. ABB, (two CEO patrons) Elajo (Owner CEO patron and collector) OKG Oskarshamn/ Kalmar county Nuclear power plant where I was voted Artist of the Year. Lilligaleriet. Stats Hotel Oskarsham.
Hotel Drottning Kristina Central Stockholm. Two large paintings commissioned hanging in the entrance and the Lobby..
Commissions, large canvasses for a Swedish Herrgård, Värmland. (Country House)
Many Noteable Patrons including Ulf Dinklespiel (Swedish representative and President of the EU)


Worked with interior designers Carin och Karl and Garbo Interiors Stockholm for 12 years as in house artist, restoring painted antique furniture.  hand painted floor mats in the 17th Century Swedish style which I also sold in Nordic style Chelsea London.....exhibited at Olympia and Stockholm's Massen.
Two fabric Collections, linen and silk for Nordic Style, London.


2016 Missing my home country I painted a card collection and exhibited at the Progressive Live trade fair in London.  In the newbie artist section I received the most sales that year!


2017  A new endeavour.   Swedish Author Marianne Von Kantzow Ridderstad asked me to illustrate her children's book "Puss and Mugg".  A delightful book about the adventures of two mice.  Two books later and working on the third, illustration has become a new passion of mine.  Interpreting others words is fascinating and challenging.  Just published, Marianne's book "AB Familjen"  ("The Corporate Family") a light hearted but serious book to avoid divorce!   


2018.  We moved to the South of France.


Exhibited at the British Franco week in St Foy La Grande. 
Shared Exhibition in The Office de Tourism Riberac.
2019 Solo Exhibition Les Jardins Du Coq.
Shared Exhibition St. Aulaye.


2020 Covid/Flu.  Invited. Special exhibition in Bergerac for art produced during lockdown.


2021 Collaborated and illustrated Capt Paul Watson's children's book "We Are The Ocean" published by Groundswell Books Tennessee USA.  With it's enormous success is being translated into German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Farzi .


Another new and very exciting project.  I was invited to collaborate contributing four large paintings, painted in time lapse on the big screen, to newly composed music,  together telling  the story of Cognac making in the Charente region of France.  Called  L'ivresse des Anges. (Intoxicated Angels).


Currently working on two series of paintings.   Large classical horse paintings and beach paintings.


Humour


Virginia Woof!   One of my cards from 2015