Sara Gallagher(American, b. 1990) Sara Gallagher is a figurative realist who is passionate about promoting emotional literacy and breaking social taboos that surround mental health here in the United States. Harnessing her experience of working with houseless youth and people with disabilities, she brings an empathetic lens into the complex experience of what it is to be human.Soft, ethereal, and at times surreal, her artworks personify emotions in a way that can be familiar to many, representing diverse voices from different ages, cultures, gender identities, and mental and physical abilities. Her practice exists on and off the easel, engaging in vulnerable dialogues with her subjects initially, then sharing their stories visually while poignantly addressing broader mental health issues. Always keeping her participants engaged, they are often involved throughout the whole process from the visual conception to posing for the piece themselves.The goal is to start the piece with a conversation, and end the piece by sparking new conversations. This is done with the hope that people can access solidarity with others who relate to the emotional states being depicted, encouraging more transparency, dialogue, and support in our communities.Sara received her BFA with a dual emphasis in Painting & Drawing and Photography from SF State in 2013. From 2019-21 she studied under the renowned German hyperrealism artist, Dirk Dzimirsky. She has been awarded recognition as a ModPortrait 2021 Finalist, 2021 International Biennial Portrait Competition finalist, a 2021 and 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Prize finalist, and a Spotlight Artist at TEDxMarin 2020. Sara’s work is included in private and public collections, including The Bennett Collection of Women Realists as well as the Lunar Codex, a time capsule heading to the moon in 2023. Her work has been featured in international and national art magazines and books, such as Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, the LEONARDO 2022 Guide published by Arte Libre, and the Artists of the Bay Area Book published by Jen Tough Gallery. She exhibits in galleries and museums across the globe, while working out of her in-home studio nestled in a redwood grove in the North Bay Mountains of the San Francisco Bay Area, CA.