Sarah Kalvin grew up on the shores of Santa Monica and developed an early appreciation of California's casual lifestyle. In her youth she studied Art, but she abandoned the pursuit of a career in visual arts to follow a path she thought more worthy during the 1960s.

Breaking away from tradition, Sarah traveled through Mexico in the late 1970's and worked among the indigenous Maya in the state of Chiapas. Her interest in hand weaving developed into a project she called Ix Chel, named after the Maya Moon Goddess of weaving, healing and childbirth. The project encompassed many of the weavers and embroiderers of the Mayan tribes of the Highlands of Chiapas and had as its goal the preservation of the art of the back-strap loom as well as to augment the native population's financial income.

Ix Chel had its beginnings in Mexico, but Sarah and a group of co-workers returned to Los Angeles where the project grew into a successful design and manufacturing clothing business. Special-ordered, hand woven garments were purchased by celebrities Joni Mitchell, Donna Summer and Carol Burnett, at the popular boutique Sara's on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. For ten years, patrons of the boutique faithfully awaited each week's delivery of Ix Chel fashion.

After the devastating Northridge earthquake of 1994, which disrupted the business, Sarah moved to San Antonio, Texas. There she taught garment design for surface design fabrics at the well known Southwest School of Art. Some of her unique and very wearable designs are featured in Jane Dunnewold's book, Complex Cloth. From there Sarah moved to Vienna, Austria to once again collaborate with Austrian designer Renee Karger and together they designed cutting edge fashion for the famous Austrian silk screen artist Vesna.

While living in Austria, Sarah was asked on a number of occasions to lecture for the Esoteric Society of the United Nations in Vienna and spoke on the subjects of Individual Destiny, the Total Solar Eclipse of 1998 and its Effects on Europe and The Future of the United Nations. As a result of years of metaphysical studies Sarah recorded "The Fifteen Minute Meditator" CD which is available on the website www.15minutemeditator.com. She is a private meditation instructor for some of Los Angeles' top yoga teachers.

Sarah takes pride in versatility and understatement of self-expression and attempts to infuse this into her art by capturing her subject's subtle spirit and serenity. Although painting and creative photography is her primary focus, she also uses the computer as an artist's tool. Using a mouse with computer drawing software is challenging and her twelve depictions of yoga postures with airbrush color and accompanying prose called YogaProse is one example of the many wonderful results of computer art.

After years of travel in Mexico and Europe, Sarah finally decided to settle in Ventura, California. By the beach, and close to her family in nearby Los Angeles, she feels she has come full circle. It is here in Ventura where she picked up her paints, canvas and camera once again and has produced a body of work that is both fulfilling for her and inspiring to those who enjoy viewing her ongoing creativity.



SARAH KALVIN - Artist, Curator, Subtle Activist
The Spring 2007 issue of Ventura Country Life & Style magazine features an article on Sarah Kalvin. The feature includes several paintings from The Spirit of Ventura. Sarah's One Tree is shown of the magazine's cover.

Read the article to discover more about Sarah Kalvin.


Read the June 8, 2007 article in the Ventura County Star.