Hi, I’m Sarah.

I’m an artist, illustrator, surface pattern designer, and teacher—and the human behind Burrito + Shug Creative Studio.

My work is colorful, playful, layered, and usually a little bit messy. I love mixing paint, pencil, collage, scribbly marks, unexpected textures, and digital tools to create artwork that still feels unmistakably made by hand. From original paintings and illustrations to patterns designed for fabric and products, curiosity and experimentation are at the heart of pretty much everything I make.

Burrito + Shug is named after my two boys, whose nicknames—and wonderfully weird little imaginations—inspired the name. They’re also a constant reminder to stay curious, notice the tiny things, make a mess, and find a little magic in ordinary life. A lot of my work begins there: backyard adventures, animals, flowers, family stories, and those everyday moments that somehow become something bigger when you really pay attention to them.

Art that feels made by a human.

I’ve been teaching art for more than 20 years, and the way I teach is closely connected to the way I make my own work. I believe strong fundamentals matter, but I also believe art should involve experimenting, playing, getting things wrong, trying again, and discovering what happens when you stop worrying quite so much about making it “right.”

That same philosophy runs through my paintings and commercial work. I love visible brushstrokes, wonky lines, torn edges, layers, texture, and evidence of the artist’s hand. My process often moves back and forth between traditional and digital media—starting with pencil and paint, moving into Photoshop or Procreate, and sometimes returning to the original artwork again to add another layer.

Today, my work includes original paintings, illustration and surface pattern collections, art licensing, prints and products, and art classes for kids, teens, and adults.

Come make something.

Burrito + Shug now has a studio home at Fremont Art House in Fremont, Nebraska, where I paint, create, experiment, and teach.

Whether you’re here looking for artwork for your walls, searching for the perfect print or pattern for a product, wanting to take an art class and make something yourself, or simply curious about what I’m creating next—I’m glad you found me.

I hope this little corner of the world makes you want to notice things, play with color, make a mess, and create something of your own.

There’s always room for a little more color, curiosity, and creativity around here.