Biography

Sarah Haviland is a sculptor and mixed-media and installation artist whose recent work focuses on cross-cultural human-bird imagery and the environment. She was awarded a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship for creative research in Taiwan in 2018-2019. Her abstract-figurative sculptures and public art installations have been exhibited widely in galleries, parks, museums, and healthcare and educational settings, including commissions at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ; the Flatiron Prow Art Space and the NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan; Pratt Sculpture Park in Brooklyn; and the National Marine Museum in Taiwan. Other awards include a Creativity Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, fellowships from the New York and New Jersey State Arts Councils, and residencies at Sculpture Space, Skowhegan, and Yaddo. Sarah Haviland was born in Kansas City, Kansas, grew up in New Jersey, and earned a BA from Yale University and an MFA from Hunter College. She teaches at Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York, and maintains a studio in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Artist Statement

Images of real birds combine with mythical figures in my recent sculptures and installations. The artworks reflect human-avian connections in cultures around the world as well as contemporary societal and environmental issues. Using simple materials and flights of fancy, they call attention to wonderment as well as to climate change, migration of birds and people, and our own psychic condition. 

The sculptures strike a balance between abstract form and human or avian identity. Rooted in place or uplifted in flight, these linear, semi-transparent figures embody a sense of distilled emotion and archetypal presence. They acknowledge contradictions, combining strength and subtlety, movement and stability, ancient and contemporary outlooks. 

 My fascination with bird-figures began with awareness of gesture, and observation of people and birds. Further inspired by stories and images from Asia, Europe, and Latin America, the artworks speak of human aspirations and the soul, and of conflicts between our internal impulses and awareness of the outside world. From ancient winged deities to the flying heroines and villains of popular culture, such icons affirm our desire to reach beyond the human realm.  

Resume

SELECTED AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS                                                                                                               

Valparaiso Foundation Residency, Mojacar, Spain, July 2022

U.S. Fulbright Scholar Award to Taiwan, Sept. 2018-Jan. 2019

Wu Jing-Jyi Arts & Culture Fellowship, Sept. 2018-Jan. 2019

William P. Kelly/Chancellors Award, City University of New York, 2018-2019

Special Opportunity Stipend, NYSCA/NYFA, 1998, 2008

NEA Creativity Grant, Arts Westchester Installation Commission, 2003   

SELECTED COMMISSIONS

Bergen Community College, Paramus, NJ, And Still We Rise, Pitkin Student Center installation, curator Tim Blunk, 2022

Flatiron Prow Art Space, NYC, Rise Above window installation, curator Cheryl McGinnis, 2017

National Museum of Marine Science & Technology, Keelung, Taiwan, Black Kite Bench, curator Jane Ingram Allen, 2015

Lightscapes, Historic Hudson Valley, Croton, NY, Fireflies, 2015

NYU Langone Medical Musculoskeletal Center, NYC, Curl bronze commission, curator Jodi Moise, 2012

Arts Westchester, White Plains, NY, Copper Beech: People’s Trust, curator Rosemary Erpf, 2003

Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ, Trio bronze commission, curator Brooke Barrie, 2002

SELECTED PUBLIC ART

Allen Street Mall, Lower East Side, NYC Parks and Sculptors Guild, 2022

River Hook Sculpture Walk, Upper Nyack, NY, 2021-2023

Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, 2019-2020

Beacon 3D Sculpture Installation, Beacon, NY, curator Eleni Smolen, 2014-2017

Collaborative Concepts at Saunders Farm, Garrison, NY, 2007-2017

SculptureNow at The Mount, Lenox, MA, 2015

Highland Falls Sculpture Walk, Highland Falls, NY, 2015

Ossining Bicentennial Sculpture Exhibition, Ossining, NY, 2013

Peekskill Projects I-V, NY, curators Sue Stoffel, Alison Levy, Livia Straus, Anna Adler, 2004-2012

Wilderstein, Rhinebeck, NY, 2012         

Artscape, Pittsfield, MA, 2011

Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA, curator Richard Klein, 2010

Pratt Sculpture Park, Brooklyn, NY, curator David Weinrib, 2010

SculptureNow, Lee, MA, 2010

Hudson Highlands Land Trust, Habitat for Artists, Garrison, NY, 2010

Fulton-Ferry Park, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, NY, 2009

Habitat for Artists, Historic Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY, 2009

John Jay College Lobby, NYC, curator Thalia Vrachopoulos, 2005                  

DeSanti Plaza Sculpture Garden, Hartsdale, NY, 2000             

Puffin Foundation, Teaneck, NJ, 2000               

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS                                       

View Center for Arts & Culture, Old Forge, NY, 2023

Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem, NY, 2021

Gallery 66 Garden, Cold Spring, NY, 2016

BAU Beacon Room, Beacon, NY, 2015   

Summit High School, Summit, NJ, 2010             

Garden Gallery at the Health Center, Peekskill, NY, 2009            

Maxwell Fine Arts Sculpture Garden, Peekskill, NY, 2004            

Ceres Project Room, Chelsea, NYC, 2001           

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS   

Five Points Arts, Torrington, CT, “Mind’s Eye,” 5-artist exhibition, curator Karl Goulet, 2024

Women Eco Artists Dialog (WEAD), “Kinship with Birds in Flight & Plight,” national online exhibition, curator Jane Kim, 2023-34

Bendheim Gallery, Greenwich Arts Council, “Touch,” curator James Pernotto, 2023

Nolan Park, Governors Island, “From Island to Island,” curator Luchia Meihua Lee, 2023

Hudson Valley MOCA, Peekskill, NY, “Address Earth,” curator Bibiana Huang Matheis, 2022

COPE NYC, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, “Urban Tribes: Urban Reverence,” curator Luchia Meihua Lee, 2022

ProjekTraum FN, Friedrichshafen, Germany, “I50lation Portfolio: Women Sculptors’ Drawings,” 2022

Cohen Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, “I50lation Portfolio: Women Sculptors’ Drawings,” 2022

Field Library, Peekskill, NY, “Arc of the Moral Universe & Viral Universe Notebook Projects,” 2021

Tompkins County Public Library, Ithaca, NY, “Arc Notebook Projects,” 2021

Chashama at 1155 6th Avenue, NYC, “No Vacancy,” Sculptors Guild Summer Exhibition, 2021

TAAC, “Urban Tribes: Urban Reverence,” curator Luchia Meihua Lee, 2021

Livingston Center for Art & Culture, MT, “I50lation Portfolio: Women Sculptors’ Drawings,” 2021

Art Gym, Denver, CO, “USPS Collaborative Art Project,” 2020

Sunset Art Studios, Dallas, TX, “USPS Collaborative Art Project,” 2020

Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY, “September Virtual Exhibition,” 2020

Croton Library, Croton, NY, “Arc of the Moral Universe: A Notebook Project,” 2019

ArtsWestchester, White Plains, NY, “The Chair Show,” curator Kathleen Reckling, 2019

Studio 80 Sculpture Grounds, Old Lyme, CT, “Summer Festival,” 2018-2019

Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, NY, “Girlhood,” curator Bibiana Huang Matheis, 2018

Westchester Gallery, Peekskill, NY, “Off the Beaten Track,” 2018           

Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY, “To Sit or Not to Sit,” curator Bibiana Huang Matheis, 2017

Westbeth Gallery, NYC, Sculptors Guild “Currently 80,” curator John Yau, 2017

Edward Hopper House, Nyack, NY, “Sculpture in the Garden,” curator Eric Laxman, 2017

Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, “Sculpture in the Woods,” 2017              

Haber Space at Central Booking, NYC, “In Harm’s Way,” curator Maddy Rosenberg, 2016

Akin Library and Museums, Pawling, NY, “Meeting Past,” curator Bibiana Huang Matheis, 2016

Sculptors Guild at Governors Island, “American Twist,” 2016

Shirley Fiterman Art Center, NYC, “Conference of the Birds,” curator Brenda Zlamany, 2016

Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit, NJ, “The Grass Menagerie,” 2015

Governors Island, NYC, “Transformation: Sculptors Guild,” 2014            

BeanRunner Café, Peekskill, NY, “The Rock, the Root, the Foundation,” 2014 

Historic Hudson Valley, Croton, NY, “Art of the Pumpkin at the Blaze,” 2013                   

ArtsWestchester, White Plains, NY, “Placemaking,” 2013

Gallery 66, Cold Spring, NY, “Figuratively Speaking,” 2013                      

Theo Ganz Gallery, Beacon, NY, “Form and Function,” curator Eleni Smolen, 2013

PS Project Space, Chelsea, NYC, Hullaballoo Collective, “Joie de Vivre,” 2012                              

Arts Exchange, ArtsWestchester, White Plains, NY, “Sculpture On & Off the Wall,” 2012 

Fountain Art Fair, 68th St. Armory, NYC, Hullaballoo Collective, 2012                

Saks Fifth Avenue, Sculptors Guild window display, 2012

Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ, “Head of School Juried Exhibit,” 2011

Griffin Court, 10th Ave./54th St., NYC, “Tranquility,” curator Deborah Davis, 2011

Chesterwood, MA, “Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood 2010,” curator Richard Klein, 2010

Chashama at 112 Times Square, New York, NY, “Habitat for Artists Recycled Drawings,” 2010

Exit Art, ecoartspace Benefit, New York, NY, “What Matters Most?” 2010          

Work Space Harlem, New York, NY, “Recycling the Studio,” 2010

GAGA Arts Center, Garnerville, NY, “Garnerworld,” curator David Laxman, 2009

Yonkers Riverfront Library, Yonkers, NY, “Ceramic Expressions,” 2008

WCC Gallery, Valhalla, NY, “Common Ground: Proposals for Public Art,” 2007    

The Studio, Armonk, NY, “Contemporary Selections,” 2007

Maxwell Fine Arts Sculpture Garden, Peekskill, NY, “Conversations,” 2006          

Concordia College Gallery, Bronxville, NY, “Before & After: Imagining Public Art,” 2005  

Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, “Sculpture in the Park,” 2004                  

Burlington County College Sculpture Garden, Pemberton, NJ, curator Claudia Gould, 2003

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

New York Artists Circle, “Making Space,” online exhibition, co-curator with Eileen Hoffman, 2023

Bergen Community College, Paramus, NJ, “Ornithology,” co-curator with Tim Blunk, 2020

Sculptors Guild, NYC, Secretary, Board of Directors, co-curator, 2012-2022

Collaborative Concepts at Saunders Farm, Garrison, NY, site coordinator, 2007-2017

Maxwell Fine Arts, Peekskill, NY, “Tributaries: The Water Project,” curator, 2009            

Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill, NY, “Playing with Fire,” co-curator, 2008                     

John Jay College Gallery, Installation “Holly Ewald: A Place to Dream,” curator, 2007                  

PUBLIC LECTURES

Sculptors Guild, NYC, February 2019

National Chi-nan University, Puli Township, Taiwan, October 2018

National Museum of Marine Science & Technology, Keelung, Taiwan, 2016                    

Hat Factory/Garden Road School, Peekskill, NY, 2010                

Samuel Dorsky Museum, SUNY, New Paltz, NY, 2009                 

University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA, 2005                

Westchester Arts Council, White Plains, NY, 2003                      

College of New Rochelle, NY, 2001                    

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, October 2021

Guandu Nature Park, Taipei, Taiwan, January 2019

Kuandu Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, January 2019

Hudson Valley MOCA, Public Tile Project, Peekskill, NY, 2008-2009         

SELECTED FEATURES & BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Fulbright 75 Virtual Art Exhibition,” Online Anniversary Show, U.S. Fulbright Program, Oct. 2021

Luchia Meihua Lee, “Sarah Haviland, Artist to Watch,” Taiwanese American Arts Council, Sept. 4, 2020

Sarah Haviland, “Research & Reflections: Becoming a Bird,” journal.fulbright.org.tw,, Feb. 20, 2019

Soles of Duende, Outlet Dance Project with Trio, youtube video, Oct. 7, 2018

Naomi Rosenblatt, “Artist Feature: Sarah Haviland,” HoneySuckle Magazine, Aug. 8, 2017

Dana Gibbs, “Gallery Mondays: Rise Above,” The Whisper Box blog, March 14, 2017

Cheri Huber, “Edith Wharton’s Home,” Pockets of Stillness blog, July 17, 2015

Georgette Gouveia, “Taking Flight: Birds Inspire the Latest Phase in Sculptor’s Career,” WAG Magazine, Westchester, NY, Dec. 1, 2015

Amy Lipton, “Art in the Pasture: Farm Project Celebrates 10-Yr Anniversary,” Philipstown.Info, Oct. 3, 2015

Dana Ter, “Art and Nature Together at Last,” Taipei Times, June 15, 2015

Temple U. Dance Dept. Blog, “The Outlet Dance Project,” Oct. 20, 2014

Susan Hodara, “A Village Bicentennial Celebrated in Sculpture,” New York Times, May 31, 2013

Jennifer Weeks, “Art Alfresco: NJ’s Grounds for Sculpture,” Northern New England Journey, July/Aug. 2011

Sarah Haviland with Anru Lee, co-authors, “Public Space, Public World: An Interdisciplinary Project in Art and Anthropology,” in New Visions in Public Art, by Council for Cultural Affairs, Taiwan, 2008

Adam Levine and Rob Cardillo, A Guide to the Great Gardens of the Philadelphia Region, 2007

Jane Ingram Allen, “Expanding Space/Engaging Viewers: Mirrors in Contemporary Sculpture,” Sculpture, web special, Vol. 23, No. 9, Nov. 2004

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

NYU Langone Medical Musculoskeletal Center, NYC

Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY, NYC

Seven Bridges Foundation, Greenwich, CT

Pratt Sculpture Park, Brooklyn, NY

Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ

EDUCATION                                                                                                                 

MFA, Combined Media, Hunter College, NYC

Skowhegan School, Skowhegan, ME

BA, Distinction in Art, cum laude, Yale University, New Haven, CT

Yale Summer School of Art and Music, Norfolk, CT

Byam Shaw School, non-degree semester study, London, England