Painting & Printmaking School of Fine Art
Sarah Orfali
Sarah Orfali is a visual artist from Medinah, Saudi Arabia. Her practice is rooted in drawing and emotional storytelling, using characters to explore vulnerability, memory, and psychological states. Influenced by animation, childhood play, and artists such as Yoshitomo Nara, Hayao Miyazaki, and David Hockney, she creates emotionally expressive figures within abstracted, fictional worlds. Working across drawing, painting, and sculpture, Orfali uses distortion, smearing, and layered mark-making to express internal conflict and reflection. Her work invites viewers into intimate, character-driven narratives shaped by both spontaneity and emotional depth.
Series
Matters of Consequence
Matters of Consequence presents 22 works by Sarah Orfali, exploring themes of vulnerability, emotional tension, and quiet reflection. The exhibition features paintings and a sculpture that centered on fragile, childlike characters caught in moments of stillness and struggle.
The works are arranged in a layered format to reflect the unfiltered nature of Orfali’s sketchbook process and to create visual dialogue between characters, revealing how small, quiet stories can hold powerful meaning. Each piece contributes to an overarching emotional narrative, inviting viewers to move between images and form their own interpretations.
