Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Rebar.
Hi Sarah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Another New Yorker in LA! I’m a cartoonist who spent 11 years in Brooklyn before making the cross-country trek to LA right before the pandemic started in 2020. I also spent nine years working as a staff illustrator for Sesame Street — specifically, drawing muppets, and even getting to design new characters.
I’ve been a cartoonist since the 4th grade. Pretty stubbornly so. I never wanted to do anything else other than draw and write stories. I went to school for undergraduate studies at Syracuse, studying illustration before moving to New York after college.
I fell into working for Sesame Street by chance. Honestly, it was all timing. I was taking a night class at SVA for animation, and a classmate worked there and knew they were hiring and gave my resume to them. When I started, I was a PA for two years before a character designer position in the art department opened up. I was by no means a character designer — it’s such a specific job doing technical drawings and turnarounds of characters, almost like architecture sketches. I was an illustrator. But I really wanted to work in the art department. I applied for the gig after redoing my portfolio and got it, then spent seven years drawing characters for books, digital games, licensing, toys, and the show. It was tremendously cool to see behind the scenes how the show was made, the process of building characters at Henson (where you can go and actually see muppets being designed – there’s really nothing like it), and how products are made.
I hit a point working full time where I was getting bored and away from what I originally wanted to do: storytelling. I was always interested in kid’s books, animation, and freelancing. So after this long stretch at Sesame Street and some personal things happening outside my job, decided I wanted to take the leap and become a freelancer. I had also always wanted to try living in California. For years, I had been visiting my sister in LA and wondering what it would be like to live there. So early 2020, I moved to LA. I wanted to be in the center of TV and film.
Now I work as a freelancer for JibJab – an animation studio in downtown LA – and I draw kid’s books for different clients. Most recently, I’ve done three books for “Waffles + Mochi” – Michelle Obama’s new kid’s show on Netflix.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Heck no! Everything is a learning process, haha.
For me, being my own business and figuring out technical things – like healthcare, bookkeeping, write-offs for taxes, etc. – was a big learning curve. I’m grateful that California healthcare for freelancers is slightly more inexpensive than in other states — specifically looking at New York where it is outrageously expensive, almost the cost of rent.
I do also miss the perks and things you have access to if you work in a big office — like equipment, up-to-date software, printers, cameras, greenscreen, etc. I had to learn to set up what I need at home and keep better track of my money as a freelancer. Project management and managing my own deadlines were also things I had to practice. (Not everything when you’re a “creative” is fun and creative.)
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an illustrator who specializes specifically in making kid’s books and funny drawings! Also experience working for kid’s shows in the TV industry.
I’m most proud of some of the books I’ve done for a new Netflix show called “Waffles + Mochi.” Also, a few years ago I did a 100-day challenge — where you have to do something creative for 100 days. I picked drawing characters for 100 days. Doing this on top of my full-time job and other freelance work. But it was great – so freeing to draw for fun and for myself. By the end of it, I basically had a brand new portfolio of work and enough work to sell at an art show at MoCCA a few years ago. That was the first time I realized I could make a living working for myself.
What sets me apart from other people is my versatility and sense of humor.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Send me an email, I’d love to work with you! Or reach out on Instagram. I’m always looking for new projects.
Contact Info:
- Email: sarebar@gmail.com
- Website: http://www.
sarahrebar.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/heysarahrebar/
Image Credits
Jeff Fried Photography
