At the heart of Sarah Martin’s artistic practice is a deep connection to the materials she works with—colours quite literally drawn from the earth itself. Through extensive research and experimentation, she has developed a process of hand-foraging soil, rock pigments, and botanical materials to create her own watercolour paints.

 

Each pigment begins as raw earth, carefully collected from places of significance. Stones and soil are ground down, sifted, and processed to extract their natural hues, while botanicals offer delicate, shifting tones. Through this patient and labour-intensive transformation, these materials become paint—layered with history, memory, and a tangible link to the landscapes that inspired them.

 

This practice is both an exploration of nature’s alchemy and a mindful act of creation. By working with pigments derived from the land, Sarah embraces the unpredictability and uniqueness of each colour, allowing the natural world to shape her work in ways that are both intentional and organic.