{"id":154386,"date":"2024-04-11T11:21:36","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T17:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=154386"},"modified":"2024-04-11T11:21:37","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T17:21:37","slug":"alumna-artist-sarah-mason-reeder-07-09","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=154386","title":{"rendered":"Alumna &#038; Artist | Sarah Mason-Reeder &#8217;07, &#8217;09"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6016\" height=\"4016\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-154432\" data-id=\"154432\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece.jpg 6016w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-1198x800.jpg 1198w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRwithpiece-1400x935.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 6016px) 100vw, 6016px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sarah posing with her art at UCCS Downtown<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-155387\" data-id=\"155387\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044.jpg 640w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044-326x245.jpg 326w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044-70x53.jpg 70w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_6044-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sarah&#8217;s piece in one of her rental homes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"481\" height=\"640\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-155386\" data-id=\"155386\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_2257.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_2257.jpg 481w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_2257-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, 481px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sarah with a colorful piece<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-155389\" data-id=\"155389\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004.jpg 640w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004-326x245.jpg 326w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004-70x53.jpg 70w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_8004-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">A gorgeous nature piece by Sarah<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"481\" height=\"640\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-155385\" data-id=\"155385\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_7497.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_7497.jpg 481w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_7497-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, 481px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sarah outside with her artwork<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-155390\" data-id=\"155390\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378.jpg 640w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378-326x245.jpg 326w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378-70x53.jpg 70w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0378-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Sarah and another landscape watercolor<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you can\u2019t buy what you\u2019re looking for, why not try making it yourself?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s what Sarah Mason-Reeder did. When the communications alumna couldn\u2019t find artwork for the homes she and her husband, Caleb, rent out in their small business, she decided to try creating it herself. What began as a way to save money and fulfill a decorating need became another small business and treasured hobby for Sarah, with her artwork even displayed at UCCS Downtown in January.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_7999-rotated.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-154409\" style=\"width:342px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_7999-rotated.jpg 480w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_7999-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another example of Sarah&#8217;s use of color<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYears ago, when I was beginning to decorate one of the houses, I went to a few stores to find art. Most of it, even the prints, were expensive,\u201d Sarah explained. \u201cThere was nothing wrong with them, but they weren&#8217;t quite what I was looking for. It&#8217;s now something I do for myself and as a way to decompress, but that&#8217;s what inspired it.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">UCCS Downtown was a fitting place to exhibit Sarah\u2019s art, as she earned both a bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s in communications from the UCCS College of Letters, Arts &amp; Sciences (LAS) and continues to use the skills and knowledge from her time there, particularly from her business-centered courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am really grateful for my time at UCCS,\u201d she shared. \u201cI use my education from there every day and in every form! My professors helped me become a confident communicator, marketer and entrepreneur, while my business and writing training at UCCS goes into every facet of running our rental homes. So, it&#8217;s not only the business side with accounting and taxes, but also hospitality management and corresponding with guests. It&#8217;s a weird variety of multiple jobs at the same time, but I really love it because it challenges me and it&#8217;s something I can still do while also being at home with our boys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of Sarah\u2019s art features Colorado landscapes and nature, which ties into another of her hobbies \u2013 running and hiking outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1400\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-1050x1400.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-154408\" style=\"width:312px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-1050x1400.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-576x768.jpg 576w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-1350x1800.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_6498-rotated.jpg 1512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mountain landscape piece by Sarah<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI love long-distance running and backpacking and hiking with my husband, Caleb, and those escapes into nature inspire a lot of my paintings,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cBeing out in nature and bringing that colorful Colorado scenery indoors is what I try to translate back into the painting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another benefit to this practice and sharing the Colorado scenery with visitors is that the two go hand in hand so well, with her rental home clients buying her art as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSince I&#8217;ve been putting the paintings in these rental houses, a lot of my art clients have come from that,\u201d she said. \u201cIt&#8217;s been a huge blessing, with visitors coming out to stay at our rental house and loving Colorado&#8217;s landscape and scenery. I&#8217;ve gotten jobs all over the United States and a lot of commission work through people staying at our houses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Sarah is immensely proud of her artistic journey and running a successful business alongside her spouse, she considers raising her two young boys to be her greatest achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey are so much more important to me than anything else that I work on,\u201d said Sarah. \u201cI love being their mom. There are, of course, frustrating times and trying times and I am also proud of many other things that I&#8217;ve accomplished, but they are really my masterpiece. Having them is like your heart walking outside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sarah has found many ways to merge her hobbies and career, and it\u2019s no different when it comes to her role as a mom. She\u2019s started doing watercolor with her kids to introduce them to painting and sharing what she loves with who she loves.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-1200x585.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-154434\" style=\"width:459px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-1200x585.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-768x374.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-1536x749.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-2048x998.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-150x73.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRGrouping-1-1400x682.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A few of Sarah&#8217;s pieces at UCCS Downtown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI want my boys to have that freedom to express themselves or to try something that they don&#8217;t already have knowledge in, because everybody has to learn,\u201d she emphasized. \u201cI don&#8217;t want them to ever feel that if it&#8217;s not amazing or it&#8217;s not great, then it&#8217;s not worth doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Though, painting with them can certainly be a test of patience,&#8221; she added, laughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admittedly, even solo painting can be a test of patience for Sarah as the art can take up several weeks to dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I&#8217;d say the most frustrating part of painting is that because I mainly work in oils, they take such a long time to dry,'&#8221; she said. &#8220;The colors are different too &#8211; white always seems to take at least a week to fully dry. So if I&#8217;m making a piece that has many, many layers of color, it can take a month or two to finish one painting.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eager to see more of Sarah&#8217;s work? Though it is no longer on display at UCCS Downtown, it can be seen on her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SarahEReederArt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the UCCS College of Letters, Arts &amp; Sciences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;College of Letters, Arts &amp; Sciences&nbsp;at UCCS is the university\u2019s largest college, enrolling nearly 6,000 students across 21 departments and programs. The college offers 19 majors and 53 minors in the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Students can also choose from five accelerated bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees, nine full master\u2019s degrees and three Ph.D. degrees, as well as pre-medical and pre-law programs. The mission of the college is to position graduates for success in their personal and professional lives, with a focus on thinking, creating and communicating \u2014 skills vital to employers and graduate and professional schools. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uccs.edu\/degreesandprograms\/college-letters-arts-and-sciences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Learn more about the College of Letters, Arts &amp; Sciences<\/strong><\/a> at UCCS.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>When you can\u2019t buy what you\u2019re looking for, why not try making it yourself? <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=154386\" title=\"Alumna &#038; Artist | Sarah Mason-Reeder &#8217;07, &#8217;09\">(More)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":154429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1,427,45],"tags":[370,107,369,414,330,86,131,332,283],"class_list":["post-154386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-alumni-stories","category-arts-and-culture","tag-alumni","tag-alumni-relations","tag-alumni-success","tag-arts-sciences","tag-arts-and-culture","tag-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences","tag-department-of-communication","tag-more-news","tag-uccs-downtown"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/SMRPainting2.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1mBpJ-Ea6","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=154386"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154386\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":155396,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154386\/revisions\/155396"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/154429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=154386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=154386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=154386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}