About Sara Ulfsparre

Sara sitting in front of a packed bookcase. She has grey and brown shoulder length hair, beige and brown glasses, and a shirt with an abstract pattern in dark blue, that looks a little like watercolour.
Close up from above of Sara's hands painting with dark blue watercolour on two sketchbooks on a table.
Close up from above of Sara's right hand needle felting.

Biography

Sara Ulfsparre (b. 1975) is a multidisciplinary visual artist working across watercolour, ink, stitch, needle felting, and soft sculpture. Her practice explores the relationship between body and mind through playful yet mysterious forms, often rooted in her lived experience with chronic pain, arthritis, fatigue, and anxiety.

Using repetition, tactility, and symbolic gestures, Sara creates work that navigates contrasts—burden and armour, softness and restriction, comfort and unease. Her process is both meditative and expressive, blending surreal imagery with elements of fragmented writing to explore vulnerability, resilience, and the tensions that lie between.

Born in Sweden, lives and works in London, UK

Recipient of an Arts Council England DYCP grant, 2024/25

CV

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS and publications:

2023

Humanity: The Outside In National Exhibition:

25 Nov -21 Jan 2024 Hove Museum of Creativity

12 Aug-16 Sept 2023 Project Ability, Glasgow

09 Jan-27 Jan 2023 Sotheby’s, London

Bait/Switch Vol 4, No 1, Winter 2023: Interview and artwork Unravel, Ravel, Revel, Reveal

2022

08 Oct - 08 Jan 2023 RWA (Royal West of England Academy) 169th Annual Juried Exhibition

10 June The Dove - juried virtual exhibition, organised by European Outsider Art Association (EOA) and inspired by the work of the acclaimed Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko (1908–1997) and the theme of peace and hope.

01 Apr-31 May Audacity - juried virtual exhibition at Roaring Artist Gallery

2021

05 Nov - 06 Dec THRESHOLD - online solo exhibition at Small House Gallery

August The Big Small Summer Open at Small House Gallery

2020

Art / Unlocked / Unearthed, juried online exhibition and downloadable zine

2019

02 Nov - 11 Dec RSA (Royal Scottish Academy) 193rd Annual Juried Exhibition

29 Sept - 01 Dec RWA (Royal West of England Academy) 167th Annual Juried Exhibition

2018

07 Oct - 25 Nov RWA (Royal West of England Academy) 166th Annual Juried Exhibition

2017

01 Oct - 03 Dec RWA (Royal West of England Academy) 165th Annual Juried Exhibition

22 July - 01 Oct RSA (Royal Scottish Academy) 191st Annual Juried Exhibition