I work with straw, a natural fiber rarely seen in contemporary art. Its silica coating reflects light in a way that feels both opulent and raw—a fascinating paradox that continues to inspire my work.

Transforming straw into art feels almost alchemical. I split and flatten its hollow tubes into smooth, ribbon-like strips, turning something humble into something unexpectedly refined. After selecting or dyeing the straw to build my palette, I meticulously collage each piece onto wood panels. The process is highly controlled, but the material resists perfection—its organic quirks introducing a quiet tension between precision and spontaneity.

My compositions are rooted in the language of traditional craft—like tilework, weaving, and needlepoint—where structure and rhythm guide the eye. In my most recent series, I draw from the stepped patterns of Bargello needlework, using color and form to explore how movement can exist within stillness.

Through this work, I hope to reimagine what this humble material can become—and offer a moment of calm, contemplation, and quiet clarity.

Sarah Barone Schwartz is a Boston-based artist known for her ability to transform spaces with art that balances precision and organic beauty. Her journey began in engineering, where she honed her problem-solving skills and love for technical drawing. But it was in textile design that she discovered her passion for creating patterns and textures that elevate everyday spaces.

After studying textile design in Berkeley, California, Sarah co-founded Sarah + Ruby Design Studio, celebrated for its hand-painted wallpaper. Using a modern take on the centuries-old paste-paper technique, Sarah developed designs that combine old-world craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. Her wallpapers have been featured in showcase houses, international showrooms, and publications like “Interior Design” and “The Textile Eye”. They now adorn walls worldwide.

In 2021, Sarah expanded her creative practice to include more fine art. Working with natural materials like straw, her art blends geometric compositions with the luminous, tactile qualities of organic surfaces. Each piece reflects her signature balance of structure and texture.

Sarah’s engineering background informs her precise approach to design, while her deep appreciation for artisanship brings warmth and balance to her work. Her art is often described as mesmerizing and meditative, with a shimmering quality that captures light and transforms its surroundings.

Based in Brookline with a studio in Boston, Sarah collaborates with interior designers, architects, and homeowners to create art that enhances intentional, elegant spaces.

Exhibitions, Galleries, Showrooms

2024 Design Social Pop-up, Trade show/Exhibition, Darien, CT

2024-present Alden LA, Showroom, Los Angeles, CA 

2024 Evars Collective, Showroom, San Francisco, CA

2023 Design Social Pop-up, Trade show/Exhibition, Laguna Beach, CA

2023 Blue, Group Exhibition, juried by Abigail Ogilvy, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge, MA

2023 Still, Group Exhibition, juried by Amy Matteson Neill, Art Fluent, Boston, MA

2022 Pattern and Pulse, Solo Exhibition, FP3 Gallery, Boston, MA

2021-present Open Studios, Exhibition, SoWa Art and Design District, Boston, MA, monthly

2021 Kips Bay Decorator Show House, Dallas, TX. Interior design by Meredith Ellis.

2020-present StudioFourNYC, Showroom, New York, NY

2020-2023 Solid + Pattern, Showroom, Chicago, IL

2020 San Francisco Design Showcase House, San Francisco, CA, Interior design by Nest Design

2019-present Walltawk, Showroom, Denver, CO

2018-2023 Karen Saks, Showroom, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC

2018-present Memo Showroom, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2017-present Style Revolutionary, Showroom, East Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

2017-2019 Latham Interiors, online showroom

2015-present James Showroom, Houston and Dallas, TX

2015-2022 Harbinger, Showroom, West Hollywood, CA (wallpaper + artwork)

2015-2017 Erik Waldorf, Showroom, Seattle, Washington

2013 Traditional Home Adamsleigh Show House, Greensboro, NC. Interior design by Lisa Mende and Traci Zeller.

Work/Related Experience

2012-present

Co-Founder, Sarah + Ruby Design Studio 

• Design and creation of hand-painted wallpaper

• Design of patterns for textiles, wallpaper, tiles, and rugs

Art Licensing and Collaborations

2021-present Brewster Home Fashions, artwork for wallpaper

2017-2018 Clé Tile, artwork for cement tiles

2013-2015 The Guildery Inc., artwork for upholstery fabrics and home goods

Press

2024

The Textile Eye, Report No. 22, Fall 2024, pp. 38, 180, 182. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

Luxe Interiors + Design, “Market Mood Board,” Sept-Oct 2024. Hand-painted Wallpaper

Interior Design, Fall Market Tabloid, Fall 2024, p. 74. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

2023

Interior Design, Fall Market Tabloid, Fall 2023, p. 50. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

The Textile Eye, Report No. 18, Fall 2023, pp. 54, 65. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

2022

The Textile Eye, Report No. 12, Spring 2022, pp. 21, 25. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

Elizabeth Fazzare, AD Home Tour, December 21, 2022, https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/step-inside-a-glowing-charleston-south-carolina-home-thats-filled-with-art-deco-furniture. Hand-painted wallpaper installed on ceiling, interior design by Angie Hranowsky.

2021

The Textile Eye, Report No. 9, Summer 2021, pp. 52, 59, 61, 67, 111. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

2020

AD PRO, “From the Source,” July 17, 2020, https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/from-the-source-jean-roger-paris-ceramics-bella-notte-textiles-and-more-design-debuts. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

Interior Design, Spring Market Tabloid, June 30, 2020, p. 65. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

2019

House & Home, “Up the Wall,” October 2019, p. 26. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

Interior Design, Spring Market Tabloid, May 31, 2019, p. 53. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

Flea Market Style, January, 2019, p 69. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

2018

Architects and Artisans, October 15, 2018, https://architectsandartisans.com/blog/hand-printed-wallpaper-from-sarah-ruby-2/. Block printed wallpaper.

Jungalow, “This Just In,” August 8, 2018, https://blog.jungalow.com/2018/08/this-just-in-sarah-ruby-design-studios-hand-painted-wallpaper.html. Hand-painted wallpaper.

Laura Eckstein Jones, Modern Luxury Interiors, “Wallflowers,” Summer 2018, p. 42. Hand-painted wallpaper.

Architects and Artisans, June 6, 2018, https://architectsandartisans.com/blog/perfectly-imperfect-applications-of-artisans-hands/. Block printed wallpaper.

Interior Design, Spring Market Tabloid, May 31, 2018, p. 76. Hand-painted Wallpaper.

Boston Magazine, “Palettes,” May 2018. Block printed wallpaper.

Will and Grace (television show), March 2018. Hand-stitched pillows included on set.

2017

Architects and Artisans, Jan 19 2017, https://architectsandartisans.com/blog/hand-printed-wallpaper-from-sarah-ruby/. Block printed wallpaper.

2016

Custom Builder, “New Products,” Fall 2016, p.44. Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Interior Design, “Market Collection,” October 2016, p106. Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Living Space, “Fine Prints,” October, 2016, p 17. Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Square and Oval, October 2016, http://squareandoval.com/?p=274. Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Style at Home, “Layer Up,” October 2016, p. 24. Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Architizer, July 2016, https://architizer.com/blog/practice/materials/artist-cement-series/ . Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Design Milk, July 2016, https://design-milk.com/cle-launches-artist-designed-cement-tiles/ . Tile designed for Clé Tile.

Architects and Artisans, July 19, 2016, https://architectsandartisans.com/blog/mingling-art-artisanship-and-the-law/. Block printed wallpaper.

2015

Ocean Home, October 2015, p28. Fabric designed for Guildery.

Sunset Magazine, September 2015, p40. Fabric designed for Guildery. 

House Beautiful, “The Best,” July 2015.  Fabrics designed for Guildery.

Editor at Large (now “Business of Home”), April 2015, featured collection https://businessofhome.com/products/1120. Block printed wallpaper.

Refinery 29, July 2015 https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/bright-color-home-buys#slide-9. Fabrics designed for Guildery.

Bright Bold Beautiful, April 2015. Fabrics designed for Guildery.

Stylebeat, March 2015, https://www.stylebeatblog.com/home-blog/2015/2/26/meet-guildery-a-new-site-for-custom-printed-fabrics-to-pillows. Fabrics designed for Guildery.

Lisa Mende Design, March 2015, https://lisamendedesign.blogspot.com/2015/03/sarah-and-ruby-have-new-wallpaper-its.html. Block printed wallpaper.

Surface Pattern Design Guild, March 2015. Block print wallpaper.

Art Licensing Show, March 2015, https://artlicensingshow.com/sarah-ruby-design-studio/. Designs for fabric, wallpaper, tile, and rugs.

2014

Surface Pattern Design Guild, August 2014.

Lisa Mende Design, February 2013, https://lisamendedesign.blogspot.com/2014/08/introducing-guilderyinc-and-sarah-ruby.html. Custom designed wallpaper.

2013

Traditional Home, “Dreamy Indulgences,” Oct 2013, p. 117 (showcase house with Lisa Mende and Traci Zeller). Custom designed wallpaper.

Traci Zeller Interiors, September 2013, https://tracizeller.com/saturday-spotlight-sarah-ruby-design-studio/ . Custom designed wallpaper.

2012

Surface Pattern Design Guild, August 2012. Designs for fabric.

Education

2011 Certificate, California School of Professional Fabric Design, Berkeley, CA

1994 J.D., University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, CA

1990 B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA