While she was teaching, she would set up outside the Charleston Market in South Carolina. being raised on a farm and coming from such a large family,” she recounted. “I was teaching school, and the second or third year of teaching, my spirit said to me that you need to be telling your story and you need to be painting your story, and what a story to tell. She felt called to higher purpose and that’s what motivated her to leave her background as an art teacher in the Carolinas and move to Savannah and start her gallery. Sabree feels a certain responsibility to preserve the Gullah culture through her work. and I jumped out of bed and I just started sketching, just trying to remember as much as I could. “He made sure that he was very vivid to me. She described the image of a strong young man in gold covered in jewels and surrounded by different kinds of coins. appeared in front of me, and he had a glow of light around him.” Sabree is currently working on a piece depicting African god Olokun, inspired by a vision that she had one early morning. they are a part of our religion, our spiritual self.” “In the Gullah culture, there are over 402 different gods and goddesses. want me to show all facets of the Gullah culture through the artworks,” she stated. Sabree feels compelled to portray different deities in her work. It’s a very sacred thing,” Sabree explained.Ī popular subject of her work is also African spirituality, which is an important part of the Gullah culture. So, it is believed that when you open up those eyes, you stand at risk of opening up to other worlds and other entities.
“To the world, most Gullah pieces are featureless,” she began, “and the reason why they’re featureless number one, you could see yourself in any of the pieces but number two, the most important reason, is the eyes are the windows to the soul.
She often paints featureless black faces juxtaposed against vibrant backgrounds full of rich colors. In her most celebrated piece, which depicts the African deity Yemaya, she used yarn, seashells and pinecones, creating a stunning piece that leaves a lasting impression.Īs a Gullah artist, Sabree describes her style as expressionism. I use spanish moss, seashells, rhinestones, whatever I could get my hands on even down to beads and rocks.” “I use different assemblages with my painting. “I love incorporating different materials in the landscapes and seascapes I paint,” she expressed. She works with acrylic painting and also found materials to create her evocative scenes. These scenes invoke serenity, contentment and the joys of life in the lowcountry. In her paintings, you’ll see people fishing at the riverbanks, women bearing baskets of rice on their heads, men tilling fields, and children playing outdoors, among other things. “When it comes to Gullah art, when you see the artwork, it’s oftentimes depicted around the land as well as the water,” she explained. Sabree’s paintings transport you to a simpler time, featuring vivid landscapes where people joyfully interact with one another and nature.
“So when you have two creative people who are your parents, you become even more broad as a person, and you’re more cultured too,” she added. Her father was good with his hands and could build just about anything. Sabree fondly recalls coming home from school and helping her mother make beautiful quilts. She loved to decorate the home, and it’s not that we had a whole lot to work with, but what little she did have, she would put it all together and she would make it work.” “My mother, she was an artist in so many different ways. She also credits her parents, particularly her mother for sparking her creativity. And before you realize it, you’re living a life of beauty,” she explained. You see the beautiful view of the farmland. “Being raised on a farm, you see many different things. Sabree’s upbringing on a family farm with 14 siblings is what first piqued her interest in art. Her bold, vibrant paintings adorn every inch of the walls in her charming gallery, representing the happy, country lifestyle of the Gullah people.
Originally from Lake City, South Carolina, Patricia Sabree is a Gullah artist currently operating a colorful, lively gallery in the heart of City Market.