I was born and raised in BC – mostly in mill towns on the coast.  I prefer wilderness over city.  I prefer thrift stores over department stores. I prefer curves over straight lines.  I surround myself in color and art.

I took two years of college in a Media Resources program which focused on photography, multi image, video and design for educational media.  When I finished the program I worked freelance in the industry, staging equipment to present other peoples work as well as working on the production side.  I travelled quite a bit for work so when the opportunity to settle in the Okanagan came up I chose that, even though it meant giving up the production work I enjoyed. 

Everything changed again with the arrival of my daughter.  I wanted to give her a stable life with white picket fences and ballet classes, a lifestyle that I didn’t have growing up and one that I thought would be better for her.  During that time I put down my sketchpad and pens to raise my child, work 9 to 5 and remodel a couple of homes.  I found time for photography and did occasional work taking photos for marketing material for the business I worked for.  I found ways to be creative in other areas, home renovations, decorating and landscaping.  I don’t regret those choices but turns out it wasn’t what my daughter or I were looking for in life.

I sold the house, put everything in storage, bought a travel trailer and left.  I travelled North America for a year with my teenage daughter and our large dog.  We all survived living in 200 square feet together and yes, we do still love each other.  We saw so many amazing places and things, my only regret is that we only had a year.  We were drawn to the wilderness areas and national parks rather than the big cities and although we travelled inland we always came back to the beaches.

After our trip we settled on the north island where we could be close to the beaches and wilderness.  After two and a half years of living in the travel trailer and cabins at Telegraph Cove I bought a home in Port Alice, got the art supplies out of storage and now have the desire, space and time to pursue my art work once again.  Of course I am also remodeling the home at the same time.

Please visit my webpage at sajas.ca to see more of my work.