Sarah McConnell Design

Originally from northwest Indiana, I moved to Ohio for college and graduated with a degree in interior design from Miami University. Shortly after, I moved to a small town in the mountains east of San Diego, California and worked for an incredible artist named James Hubbell, whose studio taught me a wide range of trades. While working there, I was fortunate enough to learn some woodwork, metalwork, mosaics, stained glass, construction, gallery exhibit preparation & more.

Working there as well as Hubbell & Hubbell - an architecture firm - and other jobs on the side, ultimately gave me the confidence to be fearless with what I wanted to do in my own work.

After my fiance got a job as a ranch hand in central Montana, we moved here together in the summer of 2021 having never visited this part of the state. So, as we seem to be in the business of taking big chances, I decided to start my own business. I also work as a remote interior designer for Havenly, so both that job and my artwork have been really fulfilling.

The first skull I worked on was one I found on a hunting trip with my brother in Arizona. After painting a phoenix on the skull and adding stained glass on either side to extend the wings, I gave it to my brother. After that, I knew that I wanted to keep working with bone and glass. While I was finishing that skull, my fiance continued to bring back skulls that he found in the pastures that he works in, and everything sort of fell into place. I never was very inspired with a plain piece of paper. What I really loved was accentuating the beauty that was already there and giving something another life. As of right now, every skull you see has been found by the ranch hands, family, and friends. Please know that very purchase means the world to me.

Thank you for being here.