a fresh take on tradition

A Fresh Take On Tradition

Sarabeth Arima reinvents the tradition of portraiture for the modern collector. An expressive, maximalist style playfully captures her subject’s spirit in a setting rich with familial history and symbolism.

Her portraits consist of layered, and meticulously hand cut imagery that has been sourced, scanned and reprinted in an archival fashion preserving both paper and ink. Dressed up in oil stick, oil paint and other various materials— she yields a piece of art and family heirloom designed to be cherished by generations.



Process

Sarabeth collaborates with clients extensively in order to bring her subject’s stories to life. When commissioning a portrait, the client will go through multiple stages: 1. subject’s image selection 2. storytelling 3. draft approval 4. execution / assembly.

FAQ

Lead Time?

Currently booked out about ~6 months.

Do you take the pictures of the subject?

I recommend my clients have professional images taken of the subject for us to have the highest chances of visual success. I request a gallery of images to choose from, and send my client the ones I think would work best.

Do you pick the photos or does the person commissioning the piece?

The photo of the subject is one that will be chosen by both the commissioning client and myself.

Where do the other parts of the piece come from?

I source about 100% of the other imagery you see featured in my portraits. I source from books, almanacs, magazines, samples, and the interwebs.

How long does one portrait take to make?

An average sized portrait takes about 50 hours of designing, sourcing, cutting, assembling, and then sealing.

What kind of paper is used?

No matter where I source my materials, ( ie magazines) I will scan them and then reprint them with archival ink onto a matte fine art archival paper. This assures the heirloom quality of the piece.

What is your pricing?

Please email hello@sarabetharima.com for pricing inquiries

How do you incorporate the subject’s interests into each piece?

After a commission is booked, I send a PDF with a prompt containing questions + examples of bits to share with me about their beloved subject. I use that intel to inspire the other visuals you see in my portraits.

Are your portraits only of children?

No! I am open to any subject:-)

What are the sizes you offer?

I offer any size larger than 10 inches on any one side. Email hello@sarabetharima.com for sizing questions!

How do I get started? I don’t know what I want but I know I want to commission you.

Email hello@sarabetharima.com and I will send you all the info to help you easily make the most crucial decisions: size, and quantity. All I need to book a commission is a size (which we can change later down the road) and the amount of portraits you are wanting to commission.