An Enigma?
Creating art, playing music and competing in sport have run through Sarah’s life, each discipline influencing the other.
Energy in her paintings, whether explosive or contemplative can be felt through her mark making and choice of palette, whatever the subject matter.
Stop Press: The Artist formally known as -
Sarah Lester (2022 - ongoing with luck!
Sarah Sanderson (1992 - 2000)
Sarah Lowe (secret stuff)
Sarah’s Life recipe
or shall we say, some visual proof that ‘the ginger cat with nine lives’ is still prowling in the undergrowth…
Life No.1
Her Mother and Father met on a tennis court in Paris, France. Colonel George and Sheila-Anne (née Sherson), both with fiery red hair produced their one child, Sarah. Not bad for their ages of 49 and 41 respectively. A disciplined and highly sporting upbringing was paired with encouragement in Art and Music.
Both working at SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), a mutual French Canadian friend thought it hilarious to put two redheads together - so Sheila met Colonel ‘Love’ (the French can’t say their ‘w’!
Pretty stylish for a 41 year old with absolutely adorable baby (?!) and chic Arc de Triomphe backdrop.
An accomplished horsewoman, Sheila appeared in numerous movies as a trick rider, often hanging off the blind side of the saddle.
A fine skier who made sure Sarah developed the ability to ‘slide, slither and bounce’ and stay in one piece.
Her aunt Joyce on the right, had moved to live and work for the next 35 years in Villars, Switzerland.
Sheila: taking up golf at 41, best handicap = 7. Fluid natural swing.
George: best handicap = 21. Excellent short game, terrible short jerky backswing which he blamed on being taught by a ‘drunken Scot while posted to Kenya’. George: “Do as I say, Not as I do!”.
Five years as a music scholar at Bryanston school in Dorset, where creative arts were placed at the forefront, with alumni including Howard Hodgkin and Sir Terence Conran, she could be spotted sitting on an Iron Age Fort painting the setting sun over the glistening river Stour. Another five years spent in Oxford followed with a degree in Art & Music.
Throughout this decade Sarah was also competing at International level in golf in many parts of Britain, Ireland and Europe - always with a paint palette and camera, soaking in the atmosphere, recording her surroundings.
Although with accomplished levels in fine art, music and golf, their commitments were pulling in diverse directions - she was considered by some to be a misfit, unconventional, puzzling at the very least.
Played two years in a row as part of the England U18 team who successfully defended their title at the Home Internationals.
Captained two years in a row the England U18 team, who successfully defended their title at the Home Internationals.
Competing in the now AIG Professional Women’s British Open at Sunningdale g.c. - as one of 5 Amateurs.
Her Father’s older, single, sister - Joyce Lowe (b.1916) took Sarah under her wing in her education of playing the piano. Although of concert pianist standard, she preferred to play Jazz. A highly driven businesswoman who suffered a monumental and spectacular breakdown, Joyce had re-booted herself and embraced a totally Holistic way of living. Deeply interested in spirituality she combined this with Homeopathic practices which she passed onto Sarah - who in 2019 spent 10 weeks studying in South Goa to become an Ayurvedic Consultant - (whilst painting a commissioned portrait).
During Lockdown, we wrote and painted, wrote and painted - from music (Andy) to poetry (Andy) to publishing a novel in 2026 (him again).
2022 and “The Midnight Crawlers”, now sometimes an extended version known as “The Rustbelt Preachers” did our bit to help.
