The Life: Full Colour Story...so far!
We provide a platform for talented Welsh and international artists to share their work, as well as stimulating conversation and connection.
Our mission is to make art accessible to all, providing ongoing opportunities for art lovers and art novices to live a life full of colour.
The modern day McKee has always been a go-getter, so the teenage version of Sara probably would have enjoyed the thought of opening a gallery more than 30 years after studying an art history degree. The very art history degree that has helped shape Sara’s life and the way she thinks.
Sara’s interest in art history was inspired by two of her sixth form teachers – Miss Tong, who taught ancient history and literature, and Miss Draper, who taught English. These inspirational ladies ignited Sara’s passion for looking, listening, reading and forming her own opinion.
During her degree, Sara spent six months in Venice, immersed in art in-situ and traveling around Northern Italy by train: Padua, Mantua, Ferrara, Siena, and the islands of Murano and Burano to name a few.
She specialised in 13th Century Italian fresco and panel painting, particularly Giotto, Duccio and Cimabue. Sara can wax lyrical about the chemistry, alchemy and talent involved in fresco painting and the pure craftsmanship of these early artists.
Yet, despite her love of art and art history, Sara’s first step into the work world was not art-related. It was the late 1980s and the art world was elitist. If you didn’t have money or connections, it was incredibly difficult to start a career.
So, Sara went off and got herself ‘a real job’. Over the years, she has worked across a wide range of industries and held many titles: Advertising Executive, Sales and Marketing Director, Group Commercial Director, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director, Board Director, Founder. She has amassed skills, experience and contacts galore.
But art was always there. Sara and her husband Stephen would travel the world, visiting art galleries and taking in exhibitions, as well as handpicking pieces of art for their home.
Then tragedy struck in early 2011. Stephen died and Sara was a widow in her 40s. The following year, Sara was made redundant from a senior position in the health and social care arena.
Eighteen months after Stephen’s death and six months after her redundancy, Sara was looking for a new direction and decided to go back to her artistic roots. She signed up to a Christie’s Education lecture series, led by art market specialist James Goodwin. The modules covered everything from the art market and art law to valuations and dealing in art.
The lecture series opened Sara’s eyes to the possibility of bringing together her passion for art history, the art business education and 30-years of commercial and entrepreneurial experience into a new venture. Life:Full Colour was born, albeit several years later.
Originally created as a website to showcase talented artists and celebrate all things creative, Life:Full Colour transitioned from being purely online to the real world with the opening of the Caernarfon gallery in August 2020.
