Sarah Biscarra-Dilley facts for kids

Sarah Biscarra-Dilley (born 1986) is a talented Native American artist, curator, and writer. She is a member of the Northern Chumash Tribe. Her work often explores important ideas like identity, especially gender identity. She also focuses on how people deal with being treated unfairly because of their race or culture.

These themes appear in all her art, sometimes alone and sometimes together. Sarah's work highlights the strength and independence of Indigenous people. She does this by showing how communities work together and share experiences. Her focus is especially on the Indigenous communities in California. Sarah Biscarra-Dilley is also known for her art as part of the group called Black Salt Collective.

Early Life and Learning

Sarah Biscarra-Dilley was born in 1986 in the Central Valley of California. She belongs to the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe. This tribe lives on the traditional lands of the Chochenyo Ohlone people and unceded Nisenan land. Today, this area is known as Oakland, California.

Sarah did not finish high school at first. However, she later attended the Institute of American Indian Arts (AIA). She earned her first college degree there in 2011. After that, she studied Urban Studies at the San Francisco Art Institute, getting another degree in 2015. In 2018, Sarah earned a master's degree in Native American Studies. She received this from the University of California, Davis. She is currently working on her PhD degree there, also in Native American Studies.

Her Work as an Artist

Sarah Biscarra-Dilley is part of the LGBTQ+ community. She often includes this part of her identity in her artwork. She grew up with support from her family and chosen family, which includes LGBTQ+ people. She believes this helped her develop many of her skills.

Her connection to the LGBTQ+ community is clear in her projects. For example, she was part of an art show called "Emnowaangosjig – Coming Out: The Shifting and Multiple Self" in Toronto. She has also participated in the National Queer Arts Festival many times.

In 2015, Sarah worked as an intern on "The Red Women Rising Project." This project helped urban Indigenous people who were dealing with challenges. It aimed to raise awareness and connect them with support services and traditional healers.

Since 2016, Sarah has been writing a book about her Chumash heritage. She hopes to share all parts of her history, even the difficult ones, to help with healing. She has taught herself two dialects of the Chumash language. She continues to connect with her Indigenous community by studying the language with others.

Sarah often uses different materials in her art. These include cut paper, old documents, handmade items, and natural objects.

Curating and Residencies

Sarah Biscarra-Dilley curates her own art shows. She also works with other artists on curatorial projects. She has completed several artist-in-residence programs. These are special programs where artists live and create art for a period. Some places she has been include Portland, Oregon, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada.

She has also received many grants and funds for her work. These include the Alternative Exposure grant and the Art Matters Foundation grant.

In 2018, the Institute of Modern Art in Australia invited Sarah. She worked with four other Indigenous curators. Together, they developed a series of art shows and programs called The Commute. These projects involved many Indigenous artists.

Sarah Biscarra-Dilley and the Black Salt Collective also created a mural. This mural is featured in a dining hall at the Facebook, Inc. headquarters in Menlo Park, California.

Art Shows and Projects

Sarah Biscarra-Dilley has created many artworks using different materials. She has also been involved in many curatorial projects and art shows. She has written for various publications too.

• 2018: tʸiptukɨłhɨwatʸiptutʸɨʔnɨ, a video collage.
• 2016: sup, sup, sup, sup (land, ground, year, dirt). This was part of the "Visions into Infinite Archives" show. The Black Salt Collective curated this exhibit. It was held at the SOMArts Gallery and Cultural Center in San Francisco.
• 2016: CHRONOTOPIA: The Past, Present and Future of Queer Histories. This show was also at the SOMArts Gallery and Cultural Center in San Francisco.
• 2010: Ramona, created in 2007, using mixed media. This piece was also shown at CHRONOTOPIA.