Sarah Sindell: Kinusaiga Artist

My name is Sarah Sindell and I work as a general and trauma surgeon in Mammoth Lakes, California, where I've lived for almost ten years. I previously lived and worked in Alaska. I have been in out of training for more than 15 years.  

I am also a self-taught artist. My medium is kinusaiga, a Japanese fabric mosaic technique. You cut fabric into small pieces and tuck them into foam, with no sewing and no paint. I've always loved textiles and making things with my hands, and this art form that has let me do both. My pieces tend to be inspired by what I see, know, and love. This which is where surgery and art overlap for me. Highlighting anatomy in an artistic way and reusing OR materials is a natural way for me to combine my worlds.

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I post my work at @sharpdissectionart on instagram. I also sell commissioned pieces and display them locally in an art gallery. I create because surgery is high-stakes and often heavy, and this is the opposite. It is slow, quiet, and entirely mine. The process is calming and meditative. Finding this medium has been a way for me to reconnect with my creative side and allows me to express myself while still using my surgical skills. 

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