'Life Is Too Short': Cancer Survivor, Somerset County Artist Shares Healing Power Of Art

RARITAN, NJ — After defeating cancer, Hillsborough wife and mother, Sarah DeWire, opened Hummingbird Studio in Raritan to share her passion for art with others.

Now five years later, she continues to share the power of art.

DeWire has always had a love of art. She studied art in school and graduated from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts. She also previously taught at the Hunterdon Art Museum and had an art club at a Montessori school.

Then, right before the COVID pandemic, DeWire was diagnosed with cancer. Just recently in April, she went to her final oncologist appointment ever.

"After being sick, I just realized, life is too short. I need to do what I want to do. And just enjoy my life, and have fun. So that's what I do," said DeWire. "I feel like coming to work is like me getting to play, have fun, teach kids, and give them a safe, homey, welcoming space to come."

DeWire and her husband found the space at 65 W Somerset St., Raritan and took the plunge to open in 2021.

"It had been something I've been talking about for years, so I finally decided to just bite the bullet and do it," said DeWire.

The studio offers classes for all ages, workshops, birthday parties, summer camp, no school studio days, date night drop off, fundraising, and more.

Each class revolves around a specific theme but participants are free to express their art in their own way.

"I show the kids what my ideas are, and I always tell them I have no expectations. These are my ideas. You take your ideas and just create what you want with what you're given," said DeWire. "I don't love cookie-cutter type projects. I really encourage free thinking, creative thinking."

DeWire recalls a workshop where she had children make a leprechaun trap for St Patrick's Day. She just laid out the materials with no example and had the kids come up with their own design.

"The kids figured it out. And it's really exciting, because they build so much confidence knowing like, 'Hey, I did that, I'm able to figure it out.' Problem solving," said DeWire. "There are so many different things that we touch on when we create, and that's why I think art is so important to everyone."

DeWire noted her space has advantages since it is small and intimate.

"It's only one event at a time, and it's only as loud or quiet as the guests, and we just go with the flow," said DeWire. "We're very kind of free, free form. And that's my personality too."

To learn more about Hummingbird Studio, classes, parties, no school studio days, date nights, visit thehummingbirdstudio.com or facebook.com/sarahdewirestudio or instagram.com/thehummingbirdstudioraritannj.

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