What do you do? I’m an artist, writer and
creative entrepreneur. I make animations,
comics, thinkpieces and essays, and have
run a small business for the past eight
years, offering animated explainer videos,
live graphic recording, facilitation, and
strategic planning workshops around
the world. When did you start? I’ve been
exploring animation and film since I was a
teenager, when I found a Super-8 camera
at a garage sale. There’s something
accessible, immediate and magical about
turning inanimate objects or drawn lines
into moving works that continues to delight
and fascinate me. Biggest challenges so
far? Managing mental health struggles;
coping with stress; working to improve
my financial situation; chronic pain; and
nurturing my self-confidence. It’s a work
in progress developing the resilience
and tenacity you need to deal with the
rejections, ups and downs of being a
sensitive person living a creative life.
Who do you look up to? Interdisciplinary
makers with an eccentric sense of delight
and exploration in their work. People like
Lynda Barry, Oliver Sacks, David Shrigley,
Björk, Maira Kalman, Jan Švankmajer
and David Lynch. What are you working
on right now? My debut graphic novel- an idiosyncratic portrait of thinking,
exploring personal narratives woven
together with philosophy, psychology,
science and theory. What do your parents
think of what you do? They are confused;
surprised; delighted; sometimes shocked;
and very proud. What inspires you? Ideas
and experiences. The big questions of life
and the small moments. I love discussing,
thinking, travelling, looking and learning,
and am insatiably curious about the
seemingly absurd experience of being alive
as a human. Best piece of advice you’ve
received? That none of us are getting
out of here alive. I know that sounds
quite bleak, but it helps me see things in
perspective and let go of small stuff. Who
has been your best support? Connecting
with a community of alternative comic
makers through the Comic Art Workshop
has had a profound impact on me and my
work. What does winning a Good Stuff
award mean to you? It means so much.
I felt really proud of my animation when
I made it, because it was an intuitive
experiment that didn’t fail. Finally seeing
it get recognition makes me feel so
delighted! What’s one thing we should
know about you? I’d love to become a
polymath; a Renaissance lady. Embracing
knowledge and experience to develop
as fully as I can. Where can we see your
work? sarahthefirth.com
Video judge Marc Fennell says: The
incredible attention to detail and
painstaking effort are reason enough for
Sarah’s entry “Body Language” to win.
But that’s not why it leapt out at me.
There’s something tangibly human in this
animation. There’s a gentle, wry humour,
and a deft understanding of how we all
relate to our body.PRESENTED BY
MADMAN
V IDEO
SARAH
FIRTH
PhotoBri Hammond