Sara Gallagher

Born 1990, Vallejo, CA
Lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Represented by CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA

Solo & Duo Exhibitions

2026
Sanctuary, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA — duo exhibition with William Nichols

2022
Our Inner World, 33 Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL — solo exhibition

2020
Intimacy, Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA — solo exhibition

Selected Group Exhibitions

2026
17th/18th International ARC Salon Exhibition, Sotheby’s, New York, NY
SF Art Fair, CK Contemporary, Fort Mason Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2025
Art Market San Francisco, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA

2024
Allied Artists of America 111th Annual Exhibition, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH
Art on Paper, CK Contemporary, New York, NY
Beyond the Surface: The Power of the Paper, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA
LA Art Show, Arcadia Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA
Art Market San Francisco, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA

2023
16th International ARC Salon Exhibition, Sotheby’s, New York, NY
Art on Paper, CK Contemporary, New York, NY
10th Anniversary Exhibition, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA
Art Market San Francisco, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA

2022
ModPortrait, European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain
ModPortrait, Palacio de Sástago, Zaragoza, Spain
Exertion, 33 Contemporary, Chicago, IL
Art on Paper, CK Contemporary, New York, NY
Art Market San Francisco, CK Contemporary, San Francisco, CA

2021
Painting the Figure Now, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI
International Biennial Portrait Competition, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI
Annual National Juried Exhibition, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI
Epiphanies, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Allied Artists of America 108th Annual Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
Quest for the Modern Figure, 33 Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL

Selected Awards & Grants

2026
Marin Cultural Association Artist Grant
Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Drawing Award Finalist

2025
Marin Cultural Association Artist Grant

2024
1st Place, Drawing, 17th International ARC Salon, Art Renewal Center
3rd Place, International Drawing Annual 15, Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center
3rd Place, Portrait & Figure, Pastel 100, Artists Network
Jane Peterson Memorial Award, Allied Artists of America 111th Annual Exhibition
The Evolution Grant, Art Fluent

2023
2nd Place Overall / Award of Excellence, Pastel 100, Artists Network
Best Drawing, Almenara Art Prize
Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Traditional Art Award Finalist

2022
Fine Art Connoisseur Publication Award and Dual Category Award, 16th International ARC Salon
1st Grand Prize, John Dalton Art Prize

2021
ModPortrait, Finalist
Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Traditional Art Award Finalist

Residencies

2025
The Sam & Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts Residency, New Berlin, NY

2019–2020
EACH Foundation Studio Residency, Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA

2014
Elsewhere Studios, Paonia, CO

Selected Collections

The Bennett Collection of Women Realists
Lunar Codex: Polaris Collection

Private collections in the United States and internationally

Selected Publications & Press

2025
Pastel Journal — Pastel 100 Portrait & Figurative feature
Samuel Peralta, Manifest for the Moon

2024
Fine Art Connoisseur — “Being Real,” Today’s Masters
Pastel Journal — “Going Within,” cover artwork and Award of Excellence feature
Manifest International Drawing Annual 15, Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center
Domus — “The Lunar Codex”
Best of Drawing, Artists Network

2023
Fine Art Connoisseur — “Drawing Us to See”
Create! Magazine, Issue 34 — artist feature and interview
International Realism, Art Renewal Center
PoetsArtists 123
Best of Drawing, Artists Network

2022
American Art Collector — “Emotional Intimacy”
Best of Drawing, Artists Network

2021
Fine Art Connoisseur — “A Time for Twosomes”
PoetsArtists, Portfolio 121

Education

2013
BFA, San Francisco State University
Dual emphasis in Painting & Drawing and Photography

2019–2021
Independent study with Dirk Dzimirsky