Community Creativity: A Profile of Local Artist Sarah Page

Known for her eye-catching public art, Sarah Page was recently named Walton County’s 2024 Artist of the Year. Since relocating to the area, Page has been transforming public spaces with her large-scale murals. Not only are they beautiful, but they also speak to unique elements of Florida art and culture, preserving what makes South Walton so special.

She’s the paintbrush behind beloved photo backdrops like her magnolia tree mural, “Swing in My Branches,” in DeFuniak Springs, the Authentic Walton community Page calls home. This piece, memorializing a beloved tree that had to be cut down due to decay and safety risks in 2019, has allowed the branches to take on new life.

The Walton County Fairgrounds facility in DeFuniak Springs was also recently graced with a new Page masterpiece. Commemorating the centennial celebration of the Walton County Fair, this 72-by-10.5-foot mural showcases the area’s agricultural roots. Its green pasture filled with farm animals and a barn under an endless blue sky is quickly becoming one of the best photo spots in DeFuniak Springs for fair attendees and visitors.

Thanks to the Cultural Arts Alliance’s Art in Public Spaces program, Page’s art is also popping up on other pedestrian thoroughfares. One of her most recent projects, “Culimination,” can be found lining the new Inlet Beach underpass alongside works by 10 other local artists in South Walton. The finished 20-by-8-foot underpass mural offers a vibrant gallery of local talent and Instagram-worthy murals for visitors to enjoy on a stroll.

A native of Georgia, Page was interested in art from a young age when her father, also passionate about art, taught her to draw. Her family moved to Santa Rosa Beach in 2003, and while attending the University of South Florida in Tampa, Page added graphic design to her creative tool belt.

As a self-described “adventure artist,” nature is a major influence on her style. Whether hiking, swimming, or exploring, Page strives to communicate her love for the natural world through her art. A parent herself these days, she’s discovered the importance of striking a balance between work and family in maintaining her identity as a mural artist in South Walton. “I know that when I'm working and creating, I feel reconnected to myself,” she explains.

After years of honing her craft, Page still loves how her outdoor murals connect her to the South Walton creative community. “I think that's what artists do; we're able to translate our feelings into something that people can see and touch and connect to,” she says. And for a free spirit putting down roots, there’s no better home than Walton County.

Visit sarahpageart.com to see where you can spot Page’s artwork on your next trip. To learn more about the thriving South Walton art scene, check out a few of our favorite outdoor art stops along 30A and galleries around town!