On January 10, 2023, Plymouth Housing’s newest development will open its doors in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.

Toft Terrace takes its name from the Old Norse for “homestead,” honoring the Ballard community’s Scandinavian heritage while promoting the idea of “home” to our residents. The building will bring 81 people from homelessness into safe, permanent supportive housing.

In the past, Plymouth has worked with local artists to help beautify our buildings—sites of community and safety for people who had previously been unhoused. Works have included Lauren Iida’s exterior mural “Hope” at Kristin Benson Place, and the soaring sculpture “Returning Home” by Louis Chinin and Huameng Yu in front of Almquist Place.

For Toft Terrace, Plymouth has commissioned Seattle-based visual artist Sarah Robbins to create a large-scale mural in the resident entry space. The colorful florals span the entirety of the main hallway, including parts of the ceiling and the wall bordering resident mailboxes. In this interview for the Plymouth Housing blog, Sarah shares about the styles and techniques she used, the importance of color, her fondness for amplifying peoples’ stories, and Seattle’s robust relationship with public art.

Tell us about mural you created for Toft. How did you take our initial request—wanting to build community for residents—and make this project your own?

The mural for Toft is all about community and togetherness. Various shapes are treated with different styles and textures to create a sense of individuality. Each one has a separate story and discernible voice that plays a role in the overall piece as they talk to each other and rely on each other for balance.

The combination of styles and textures also references themes of collaboration, collage and patchwork. I think of it as a warm quilt that has been stitched together using scraps of fabric from various stories and life experiences. My ultimate goal was to foster a sense of identity and pride, and to make where the residents live feel like home

Why did you want to create a mural for Plymouth Housing? Why was this a project you wanted to participate in?

The idea of using what I’m good at to help others who have overcome such hardship was the reason I was so excited by this project.

I’m incredibly lucky to be able to collaborate with many different types of organizations, from small mom-and-pop shops to large international companies. But nothing compares to working with communities and mission-driven organizations with so much heart. It’s fulfilling to work with people so dedicated to helping others, so when Plymouth reached out about a very white lobby in need of color, I jumped at the chance to help create a vibrant identity for the new residents of Toft Terrace.

I am very grateful to create art for a living. Art has played a big role in helping me get to place of stability and success in my life.

You’ve stated that you aspire to create art that amplifies the voices and stories of others. Why is that important to you?

I’ve never been an artist who felt like I had some life-changing message to share with the masses. I’m much more interested in creating visuals and transforming spaces based on my community and what ties us all together. Artists can be great vessels, and they can act as visual interpreters by taking the thoughts and experiences of others and transforming them into visuals we interact with in everyday life. I want to use my skills for the greater good, even if it’s just in a small way.

You’ve created murals and art for some iconic local organizations and entities such as the City of Seattle, Seattle Public Library, Cupcake Royale, among many others—and now Plymouth Housing! How does it feel to create art that’s contributing to the vibrancy of our city?

 Seattle’s relationship with art, and the value our community places on art, is amazing. The city is incredibly welcoming to artists and there are so many opportunities for artists to make their mark. Personally, my heart will always be with Seattle. It’s the city that allowed me to become the full-time artist I am today. I’m grateful to the people of this city who have trusted me with their businesses, homes, and spaces. I’m excited to help cut through the gray and continue bringing color to the city for years to come.

Learn more about Sarah Robbins’ work on her website, sarah-robbins.com. To see a time-lapse video of the mural’s creation, visit her on Instagram at @sarah_robbins.