Sara Baun x Vault Editions: Artist Interview 

Welcome to a new section of The Vault Zine, where we'll be interviewing some of our favourite contemporary artists about their creative process and artistic journey. We love researching and sharing articles about art history, and this will still be a significant part of The Vault Zine. However, in a time when the process of creating both commercial and fine art is at risk of being reduced to that of a prompt, both Kale and I, as directors of Vault Editions, think it's important to take time to platform those making art by hand. It is our aim through these interviews to not only provide inspiration but to highlight the struggles, failures and successes of the human creative process and to celebrate the hard-won incremental gains that only come from showing up for your art every day.

Sara Baun’s illustrations invite us to see the animal world through a dark and surreal lens. Her beautifully rendered creatures, whom she affectionately refers to as her “weirdos”, form a hauntingly elegant menagerie that lingers in the mind of the viewer. Sara’s work inhabits the space between the natural and the uncanny, and each piece feels like a window into an alternate world.

In conversation with Vault Editions, Sara shared insights into her inspirations, process, and creative journey behind her captivating and atmospheric illustrations.

"THE VULNERABLES: LET ME SEE YOUR TRUTH" by Sara Baun

1. Sara, your artistic journey has taken you through various paths, from animal rescue to stone restoration, before fully embracing art in a full-time capacity. How have these diverse experiences influenced the themes and emotions in your work? 

Some experiences influenced me more than others; I'm thinking about my animal rescue period, which brought me so much closer to animals, birds especially, all my years as a waitress who brought me faaar away from working that close to people, the precious friends I found at the stone restoration school, but each one of those helped me get where I am today, so I cherish them all, instead of thinking it was a waste of time (yes, it took a bit of therapy to get there eheh); I can't point the finger on how they influence me today, but I know they do, maybe unconsciously, beneath the surface, but they surely come to light here and there in my work. 

"THE VULNERABLES: THIS IS EVERYTHING I AM" by Sara Baun 

2. Your pieces often feature animals entwined with surreal and sometimes unsettling elements, like teeth or bindings. What draws you to these motifs, and what do they represent? 

When I started drawing full-time, I quickly found myself more drawn to a darker kind of art; I found it more communicative, more explicit, and maybe more direct. I don't have a precise answer to this question; I think I'm still exploring that myself, but I can say that often, teeth and mouths represent something that needs to be said, something that you're holding onto, something you've been hiding, your gut instinct that's telling you something you're not seeing yet, or they're saying "stand up for yourself". Bindings might say you're stuck somewhere, you're going through something, you're figuring out yourself. 

"RAGE AS A CURE" by Sara Baun

3. Ballpoint pen is a distinctive medium in your art. What led you to choose this medium, and how does it shape your creative process? 

I ask that myself, too, cause I wouldn't say I'm a patient person, not when it comes to seeing results, and a pen is a very slow medium; I'd say that it gives me a lot of control (I definitely like that) cause I get through layers and layers of ink before getting to the end, but at the same time you cannot erase it (slight panic). I love that it's simple. I can just carry a sketchbook and a pen, and I can draw everywhere without having to set the table; also, the fact that you can do complicated things with just a basic tool like that fascinates me. 

"IT'S GONNA BE ONE STEP AT A TIME" by Sara Baun

4. A quiet, haunting darkness runs through much of your work, often delicate but undeniably present. What draws you to explore these darker themes, and what role do they play in your creative process or emotional world? 

I'm a very introspective soul; I feel strongly, I empathize a lot, I tend to overthink, I get easily anxious and much more. All of this inevitably comes out somehow, and it found a way out through my drawings. I'd say it wasn't conscious at the beginning, and definitely not easy, but digging into all of this and staying with it slowly became therapeutic somehow; it helps me to rationalize and understand, to face and see that I can handle things. Basically, I found an endless source of inspiration, along with a way that's working for me to let some darkness out and breathe a bit better. 

"ROOTED: I AM MY SAFEST PLACE" by Sara Baun

5. Do you see your art as a form of emotional processing or self-exploration? How much of yourself do you feel you're revealing through your work? 

Yes, absolutely; now that I see the healthy effect it might have on me, I'm actively trying to put emotions on paper, so most of my pieces are saying something about me, something I'm going through, something I struggle with, something I wanna learn. 

"ROOTED: ONE THING AT A TIME" by Sara Baun

6. You've mentioned being 'neurospicy' in your Instagram bio. How does neurodiversity inform your artistic perspective and process? 

That's a delicate matter to talk about for me, as today I do not have any professional ADHD diagnosis, but defining myself as "neurospicy" makes me feel better, so I'm sticking with it. I've always struggled with so many things growing up; I had some clarity only a few years ago; as I started drawing consistently, having to be my own boss, sticking to a routine and handling so many different things other than drawing, the issues I always had, but I thought were common, manifested blatantly, so I actively started to look into it and informed myself about this ADHD stranger – having never heard of it before. It felt like turning on a light in a room that had always been dark. So, I carefully say that my supposed neurodivergency is fully intertwined with my creative process.

Sometimes it feels like my brain has a mind of its own, and I know now that trying to go against it brings nothing good, so I kinda let it flow; my process can be a little crazy sometimes, with a lot of breaks – sometimes weeks or months – can take longer than expected (many "side quests" eheh), might be taking me somewhere else without finish what I was working on, can look – and sometimes actually is – like a complete mess and so on. I have to say, tho, I never get bored. I just set a bunch of rules to have some structure and not get completely lost in rabbit holes, but I leave myself space to wander when I feel like it, deadlines permitting. 

"IT'S SAFE TO LET THEM FLY" by Sara Baun

7. Much of your work feels deeply personal, yet it resonates with a wide audience. How do you navigate the tension between creating for yourself and sharing that vulnerability publicly through exhibitions or online? 

Being mostly online helps a lot with that; I find it easier to share certain matters behind a screen rather than in person; it wasn't easy in the beginning; I was afraid of all the hate you can get on the internet along with the attention, but one small step at a time, I slowly put myself out there and found nothing but love and support. I'll never be able to thank my community enough for it. Seeing other souls resonate with my work is the best motivator I could have; it gives me the fuel and courage to keep sharing. 

"ADJUSTING TO OUR PACE" by Sara Baun

8. You offer tattoo flash designs through your website, which many people choose to have inked. Is tattooing something you've considered doing yourself, or are you content focusing purely on the design side for now? 

I already took the sanitary license that allows me to tattoo, knowing that I'd be fixating on that sooner or later, so the boring and hardest part for me (studying books) is done. I'm just waiting to have that quiet space and time to start practising between ongoing projects. 

"I AM LEARNING TO" by Sara Baun

9. Is there a book, art-related or otherwise, that's had a lasting impact on you or your creative process? One you find yourself returning to or recommending often? 

It's impossible for me to choose one; there are so many artists that influence me in so many ways. I can name the firsts that come to my mind: Sacred Decay – The Art of Lauren Marx, Haunted Bodies – by Christina Mrozik, Journaux Troublès – by Marco Mazzoni, Higuchi Yuko Artworks, and any book by Escher, Goya, Dürer, and so many more… 

10. Is there a tool or creative resource you'd recommend that supports your practice or might be valuable for other artists exploring their own voice? 

Mainly being a self-taught artist, I use all kinds of help I can find; reference pictures are the absolute most important thing for me, whether Google, Pinterest, nature photographers (always ask for permission), books or the real object when it's possible (I'm thinking about skulls and bones for example), are incredibly helpful to reach the idea you have in mind. Also, platforms like Domestika can be resourceful and affordable, with so many different courses and workshops with artists who can give you real feedback if needed. 

"TIGER III" by Sara Baun

11. Looking ahead, are there new themes or mediums you're eager to explore in your work? 

Colored pencils, along with colored pens. Sometimes I feel the colors calling me, I'm just so used to black and white that I'm a bit intimidated by them, but I'll surely go there, sooner rather than later. 

12. What advice would you offer aspiring artists who resonate with your journey about embracing one's unique path and voice in art? 

Just go for it; if you feel like it makes you feel good, make some space for it. Even if it's only 10 minutes a day, give it some space without judgment (hardest thing ever, I know), allow yourself to explore, accepting that it'll take time to learn (probably this is actually the hardest part) and it'll grow sooner than you think; and stick to it, there will be rejection and disappointed expectations, make it help you grow stronger instead of giving up. I know it all sounds impossibly hard, but I promise it's worth it. Practice till your hands fall down; it's the only way to get there. 

Interested in learning more? Visit Sara's website, or join her on Instagram and Tiktok.

"PAPERA MUTA" by Sara Baun