Sarah van Rossem graduated in 2015 from the Academy of Visual Arts and Design at Fontys University in Tilburg. Her work was selected for theBest of Graduates showcase during the graduation exhibition. In 2025, ten years after completing her studies, she presented her first museum exhibition at Museum Jan Cunen in Oss.
The forest and the roadside verge are a source of exploration for Sarah van Rossem (1990). Here, she closely observes natural processes and the interplay of light and color. During her walks, she collects materials that are given a new life in her studio through graphic works, often on a large scale.
Her working method is intuitive and investigative. She uses a large etching press to print natural elements such as plants, leaves, and grasses onto heavy etching paper. She does this in multiple layers using etching ink. The veins and textures of the plants remain tangibly present in the final result. Her prints are not only a visual experience but also a sensory one, as if nature itself is present on the paper.
Sarah consciously seeks a balance between control and chance. While she influences the composition, she also embraces the unexpected movements and imperfections that arise during the printing process, for example, when a plant shifts under the press or releases moisture.
She regards this unpredictability as something intrinsic to nature and welcomes it as part of her artistic process. Characteristic features of her work include natural color tones, layered compositions, and subtle transitions, through which she attempts to document what she encounters outdoors.
