AWAD is delighted to welcome new Member Sarah Hurt of Seattle Art Source to its Global chapter. Find out more about Sarah’s art world journey below.
What is the name of your business, where are you located and when did you start?
Seattle Art Source, Seattle Washington, 2016
What is your professional background?
I founded Seattle Art Source in 2016 as a relationship-driven art advisory practice based in Seattle. Unlike many in this industry, I didn’t come up through the traditional fine arts track — my background is in retail, accounting, and marketing, and I built my art business knowledge through hands-on experience in a true “Second Chapter” story. Today I work with a roster of 30+ Pacific Northwest artists, serving residential collectors, interior designers, developers, and commercial clients like hospitality groups and law firms. My approach is less “white cube gallery” and more “art speakeasy” — I don’t keep traditional gallery hours, and I focus on building real relationships between collectors and artists.
What inspired you to take the leap and start your own business?
It actually started organically, not as a grand plan. I was coordinating rotating art shows in my brother-in-law’s furniture shop in Chinatown, and through that I saw firsthand the opportunity of connecting artists with the interiors industry as many designers came through the show room to order custom furniture. I also had a need and desire to demystify the process. Not having a traditional arts background myself, I knew purchasing art could feel intimidating and I wanted to lower that barrier to individuals like me — people who appreciated art but could use some support with the process of buying it for their homes. That’s what became Seattle Art Source in 2016: a practice built on approachability.
What does your business offer, in terms of goods and services?
At the core, Seattle Art Source is an art advisory practice — I work directly with a roster of 30+ Pacific Northwest artists to place original artwork with collectors, from single pieces to full multi-room curatorial projects for private residences. But it’s grown beyond one-off placements: I also work with interior designers and developers as ongoing collaborators, and I’ve built out a licensed prints program — including a trade catalog — for design and hospitality clients who need art at scale rather than one-of-a-kind originals. On the commercial side, I work with hospitality groups and law firms, developing custom scopes of work for everything from lobby installations to full office art programs. And beyond transactions, I host collector dinners and community events at our Georgetown space — building relationships is as much a part of what we offer as the art itself.
What excites you about having joined the Association of Women Art Dealers?
Honestly, it’s the community. Running an art advisory business can feel isolating at times — you’re often the only one making the decisions, so the chance to connect with women who have real experience I can learn from means a lot. I’m also excited about the educational events; there’s always more to learn in this industry, no matter how long you’ve been doing it. And maybe most of all, it’s just encouraging to be surrounded by other women in this field who are thriving — it’s a reminder that this business is possible to build well, and I don’t have to figure it all out alone.
What brings you joy in your work?
It’s the people. I’m deeply grateful for my team, which I consider to include my roster of artists, my clients, and my collectors. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of adding art to thousands of homes and working with just as many families and designers, and it has been such a joy. I’ve cultivated a business that attracts curious clients — people genuinely interested in supporting artists — and that quality tends to draw thoughtful, lovely humans into my orbit. That’s the real reward of this work.
A just for fun question: If you were a work of art what would you be and why?
Holy Moly that is a hard question! A Rothko, probably. People are always surprised by how large his paintings are in person — and I get the same reaction; I’m almost six feet tall, and people are sometimes taken aback when I stand up. But it’s more than that. A Rothko looks deceptively simple at first glance, and then the longer you sit with it, the more complexity you find. That resonates with me in this field — art dealing traditionally comes with an expected pedigree, and I have none. Everything I know about this business has come from 10,000 hours of dedicated work, not a formal path. People sometimes wonder if that’s enough to qualify me. I think we all know the answer to that.
Images courtesy of Seattle Art Source.
