This month’s featured artist, Sarah Mosseller, transforms her family’s artistic legacy and tradition into unique works that amplify important stories and illuminate powerful values.
Sarah Mosseller | Feminist Conceptual Artist & Rug Hooker
How would you describe your work?
My work combines Appalachian hooked rugs with feminist conceptual art, creating pieces that amplify women’s voices and untaught women’s history. Each piece is rooted in tradition while challenging modern systems of oppression, using art as a form of storytelling and activism.
What was your journey to developing your artistic skills like?
I was first introduced to rug hooking in my great uncle’s rug studio in Lynn, NC where I grew up. I remember hand dying wool yarn and using wooden shuttles to hook rugs with him. My journey began with the stories of my great-great-grandmother, Lillian Mills-Mosseller, whose Appalachian hooked rugs were featured in the MET and Smithsonian. Her artistry inspired me to carry on the legacy in a way that reflects my own values. Along the way, I’ve blended traditional fiber art techniques with modern feminist themes to create something uniquely my own.
How have you grown, personally, as an artist?
I’ve grown by embracing my heritage while daring to step into uncomfortable spaces as a feminist. Art has taught me to be unapologetic in my voice and has provided a deeper sense of connection to my ancestors and to the women who experience my work. I’ve also learned to navigate balancing tradition while also challenging it.
What is your secret for carving out time to truly be creative?
I view creativity as a form of self care and healing. My work isn’t something I fit in; it’s essential. I schedule my time intentionally, often connecting art with my other passions, such as feminist advocacy and wellness. Making space to create is as vital as any other commitment. (Honestly, not having children is also a huge help.)
ARTWORK: LOSE THE LAURELS
Do you have a favorite story behind one of your projects and why?
On a recent trip to Portugal, I visited the Museu do Aljube – Resistência e Liberdade, a museum dedicated to those who resisted fascism. One exhibit particularly moved me; the stories of women who led the anti-fascist movement, using the carnation as a symbol of liberation and resistance. Inspired by their courage, I sought out hand-dyed wool yarn from a woman-owned business in Portugal and created a piece that reads feminista feroz – Portuguese for “fierce feminist.” This piece honors their legacy while intertwining my heritage of rug hooking with the spirit of feminist resistance worldwide.
What are you working on that excites you right now?
I’m currently working on PILLOW FIGHT, a feminist art experience that transforms a tired patriarchal trope into a feminist reawakening. This project reclaims and reimagines the “sexy pillow fight,” turning it into a space of empowerment and connection for women. It integrates Appalachian hooked rug pillows with feminist workshops and is designed to spark genuine friendships and support women’s health and happiness.
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with fellow artists, especially those at the start of their careers?
Embrace your unique voice and trust your instincts. Your work doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be powerful. Art creates beauty, but it can also create change. Challenge the wrongs you see in the world, one creation at a time.
If you are interested in learning more about this month’s artist, Sarah Mosseller, you can find her work online on Instagram @smosseller.
ARTWORK: POPPIES FOR PERSEPHONE