Meet Sara Risley from Literacy Services of Wisconsin
Nominated by Holly McCoy, Executive Director of Literacy Services of Wisconsin
As part of her artist statement on the Gallery of Wisconsin Art, Sara Risley writes that “as an artist, I tend to see the world differently.” She registers “the odd play of light, the reflection rather than the water, the crack in the sidewalk, the imperfections of a useful item.” From those everyday things that some might overlook, she creates beauty.
Sara’s open outlook helps her connect with students in a special way. Since 2011, she has gifted her abilities as an artist, photographer, and teacher to Literacy Services of Wisconsin (LSW).
Sara first tutored students working to achieve their high school equivalency (GED). She built friendships as she tutored, and many of these connections have lasted after graduation. Her strong bond with students have inspired and allowed LSW to stay in touch with alumni.
Sara’s photos of students and staff powerfully capture their stories. With her artistry, LSW can vibrantly showcase their students and success stories. Visitors to the Milwaukee nonprofit see beautiful portraits of their graduates covering walls of their GED classroom. Most meaningful of all is the chance to celebrate the journeys of students. As a volunteer, Sara was vital in collecting student stories and photos for their award-winning 50th Anniversary book “Unlocking Potential.”
On top of tutoring, she helped to build lesson plans and assisted with classroom management. Impressively, Sara also goes above and beyond to fundraise creatively and support the organization. She donates her own art, and solicits many artist friends and organizations to contribute to their silent auction as part of their annual fundraising dinner.
After taking early retirement from a career as a photographer, Sara Risley’s contributions to her community have made her a star at the LSW. Her artistry, lesson plans and hours teaching, have made an impact on the lives of so many. And her story, along with the stories of so many students, will live on creatively through her photographs.
