SABI Designs

2017 saw the start of Sabi Designs, a business created by artists Cathy Gray and Karen Judd.  The name Sabi design is a nod to the Japanese word Wabi Sabi, translated to mean ” finding beauty in the imperfect”. Our pursuit of perfection hinders our ability to be truely happy, to create without expectation and leads to stress and anxiety. Wabi Sabi offers us the ability to find pleasure in the imperfections, the cracks and roughness that symbolised a life well lived..

Under the name SABI Design Cathy and Karen create wonderful large tree prints. Sourcing biscuit size slices from fallen or felled trees and using a relief printing process beautiful tree “thumb” prints are created.  The process begin in the salvage of the tree slice then it is planed and sanded to remove any chainsaw marks. A smooth surface is created, the wood is then burned and the surface brushed to reveal the story. The surface is then inked and the paper or canvas is applied directly to the wood. The story is now captured forever. Long after the tree has fallen the wood continues to change. Cracks will appear, the wood will expand and shrink depending on the weather and because of this no two prints will be the same.

Most of the work Karen and Cathy do is based on commissions..  They accept commission work from around SA and Victoria.  Many people have a deep connection to the trees around them, maybe its a tree from childhood, or one planted as a memorial to someone you loved, a tree you were married under, one planted by your grandfather there are many reasons for the deep connection we may have.  Karen and Cathy will visit on site and depending on the size, shape and accessibility will select a piece best suited to their process.  The end result will be a framed print of your tree to cherish forever.

Please contact us if you have a tree you would like us to see.

Cathy 0413382291

Karen 0413838494