Current Exhibition

Sarah Peoples "Through the Oyster Speculum"

June 22, 2026 – September 9, 2026

Reception: Thursday, August 27, 2026 from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

​Sculptor Sarah Peoples from Philadelphia has made a lasting impact on the art world with her thought-provoking works and community involvement. She holds a certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a BS from the University of Pennsylvania. She graduated with a Masters degree from PAFA in 2012.

Most recently, Peoples installed her ever-enduring Plastic Rainbow sculpture on the grounds of Mother in Law's Gallery in Germantown, Ny for Upstate Arts Weekend, 2025. She was a finalist for her public art proposal in a juried competition co-organized by the Association for Public Art (aPA) and the Parkway Council, called Art on the Parkway. In May of 2024 she engaged the public with a moving a ceremonial performance celebrating the Full Flower Moon narrated by a mythical musical score accompaniment and ice sculpture offerings.  During her tenure as Artist in Residence at Glen Foerd from June 2022 to September 2023, she created three impactful large-scale public artworks addressing pressing issues such as environmental justice, collective consciousness shaping national identity, and our human connection to nature. The culmination of her residency was a vibrant public event at Glen Foerd, featuring Peoples' art alongside site-specific performative mindfulness practices and interactive community engagement activities.

Recently, Peoples was featured in the online exhibition "The Meaning of Everything" by the Dina Wind Foundation. Peoples' artistic journey also includes a solo public art exhibition, "Between Wind and Water," at The Havre de Grace Maritime Museum in Maryland throughout the summer and fall of 2023. Her insightful writing got her placement in the publication "Artist, Mother, Proud & Serious | VOLUME I," where she critiques the divisive "Art Mama" movement.

Noteworthy among her public installations is the 18-foot site-specific sculpture, "Plastic Waterfall," crafted from post-consumer recycled materials, which adorned the lobby of the Cira Centre in Philadelphia as part of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and HotBed’s Plastic Free Philly campaign in the Spring and Summer of 2022.  

Peoples' commitment to community engagement is evident in her participation as lead artist in the DaVinci Art Alliance’s Everyday Future Fest at Palumbo Park in April 2022, where she presented "Deconstructed Landscapes," an exhibition featuring large temporary site-specific sculptures made entirely from post-consumer recycled materials.

Another notable sculpture, "Plastic Rainbow" in Fairmount Park served as a symbol of hope and unity during the early months of the pandemic, earning praise from Conrad Benner of Streets Dept.

Her street sculpture series, including "Oil Soaked Neckties," "Baptismal Font," "Props for Peaceful Protest," and "Props for Nature," have garnered acclaim for their innovative approach to public art.
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Peoples has exhibited her work in prestigious galleries and museums worldwide, including AUTOMAT Collective in Philadelphia, PEEP Space in Tarrytown, NY, and MWoods in Beijing, China, where her work is part of the museum's permanent collection. Her talent was recognized with the 2018 Fleisher Art Memorial Wind Challenge award.