JANE Magazine

Coffee Break: Paint with Coffee
November 2006

Coffee Break: Paint with Coffee

Angel Sarkela-Saur, 29, Minnesota
Coffee Artist, Just Coffee Art

When Angel brews herself a pot of coffee, she doesn't need milk or sugar. Just a paintbrush. That's because for this artist, coffee is paint. She and husband Andrew developed a method of adding water to a really strong pot of coffee, creating various shades of brown that can be used as watercolors. The former sales rep tells us what it's like to turn your caffeine addiction into an art. 

What got you into coffee painting?
My husband and I planned to have an art show in a coffee shop. We knew coffee stained things, so we decided to use it as a watercolor. I love the brown sepia tones; it's nostalgic and reminds me of old photographs.

You must drink a lot of coffee then?
For a while I was a pretty hardcore drinker. Now I limit myself to two to three cups of black coffee a day.

What kind of music do you like to paint to?
I got an iPod recently and absolutely love listening to it when I paint. I've got play lists for upbeat, happy, high-on-caffeine days, another for gloomy, moving-a-little-slower days and so on. The artists range from Bjork to the Black Eyed Peas to Kenny Rogers. 

What advice do you have for young women who want to pursue passions outside of a "typical" career?
Early in college, I chose the safe path with a business/marketing degree and ignored my love of art. I then worked in the sales department of a private aircraft manufacturer. It was financially stable with some traveling and flying perks, but I was finding no satisfaction in it. On the other hand, I was creating artwork on the side and loving it. My advice would be don't compromise what you want for something that is safer.

Next week: A barista from Seattle, America's coffee capital.

—Tammy

 

November 09, 2006

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