July 19, 2010
Sarah Roush: One of Paducah’s Great Beauties
Photo by Laurel Black
Paducah lost a great bit of charm and beauty when artist and Downtown supporter Sarah Roush lost her battle with cancer Sunday morning, July 18, at home with her family.
She was a caring, generous and talented, woman, mother, friend and artist. All who knew her will miss her and never forget her. For many there will be an empty place without her, and only time will ease that pain.
Her many friends share fond memories of her warmth, smile and talent.
“Sarah Roush’s work is born of personal experience, a reflection of all that she does and is. Rigorous and energetic, it draws you in to a complex world. Each piece is a story in itself and yet part of a larger story. She has accumulated an impressive and diverse body of work, and continues to add to it a a prodigious pace.
“Since she moved to Paducah in 1987, Sarah has had an impact on the cityscape. Literally. She has purchased and renovated several buildings in downtown Paducah. Her distinctive style is evident in the tiles on the outside of the buildings, and her sense of detail is obvious in the architectural details inside, such as base boards and mouldings.
“She has had an impact on the art community, with her commitment to her own art and her support of other artists. When she had a gallery of her own, she hosted many other artists, giving them an audience — and a market — for their work. At the same time she continued to be prolific in her own art work. She is fearless in her willingness to tackle a range of media and does not blink when it gets to tough topics.
“Her legacy is varied and lasting — two and three-dimensional art, including water colors, oils, prints, ceramic and archtecutral renovation and three talented and beautiful children, Emily, Laurel, and Ted.”
We hope that you enjoy Sarah’s work and that it sparks thoughts about where you came from and where you might be headed.
“What a sad week with the death of a great artist and wonderful lady. I’ve always had great admiration and respect for Sarah’s work. What a lost to Paducah and to the world. So much love and life went into everything Sarah did and she exploded with fantastic colors and designs. There will never be another like her and I will forever miss this great artist. How blessed I am to own two of her brilliant paintings. What we need as a tribute is an “Annual Sarah Roush Art Festival.”
“Sarah Roush earned the honor of being ‘Paducah’s Original Tried and True Lowertown/Downtown Artist,’ years before the concept was ever put into motion. She was an exceptional and truly inventive spirit who persevered and triumphed in Paducah during the most challenging of times. Her courage, dedication, determination and prolific career leave a tremendous legacy for the Paducah Community.”
“It is really hard for me to write about one particular incident with Sarah. All I can say for right now is that she was totally dedicated to visual art, and her life was directed toward creating and supporting it. She loved and cared deeply about her family. She was well-read. She read, for example, the Economist, the New Yorker, the Rolling Stone, the New York Times and a number of news websites. She had her well-informed opinions about the issues of the moment. She was totally engaged in the community.
“Also, she loved nature. In fact, one of the cool things that happened to her in her last moments was that a native Mourning Dove nested in one of the hanging plant baskets on the deck. That dove hatched and fledged two doves, which Sarah lovingly watched and helped protect during the entire hatching period. The two doves, clinging to their nest through their adolescence, were a sight. We knew that soon they would fly, and they did. But, for many days after they fledged, those young doves would fly off the deck during the day and return to the safety of the deck to roost during the evening. Sarah loved that.
“We had many discussions about where the mother dove was, how much she was involved in the behavior of the young doves, and how cool it was that she had nested on the deck. Those dove fledglings brought her peace and happiness, which showed me how much she appreciated life. And, somewhere in downtown or lowertown Paducah, there are two doves who grew up with Sarah as their close friend. Who knows, they may nest on your deck or porch, and share Sarah’s spirit with you.”
“Paducah has lost one of its most talented artists and a truly fine lady.”
“Have too many great memories with her to list! We would talk for hours about art, attend shows together, and laugh and tell stories. She would often help me out when I was beyond my resources, and I would encourage her restoration and other projects downtown. I could go on for hours — she was a great friend and unique person.”
