We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Grimes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Growing up I never had a specific idea of what I wanted to be. Being in a house of 4 older siblings, I didn’t always get to express myself. I felt like I just needed to follow the steps of going to school and then college after high school. Eventually, Id figure it out right? Nothing stuck out to me as an area of interest. School was never something I was very good at and I wasn’t too excited about continuing schooling. I stumbled upon this creative field because of a good friend of mine. The pure joy and excitement I found when I began modeling was nothing like I’ve ever felt before. Meeting new creatives every day and working on different projects is so fulfilling. Everyday I feel like I am learning something new about myself and stepping out of my comfort zone. This industry has helped me grow so much and I’ve gained a lot of new beautiful relationships. I am so grateful that I feel like I have found my place in the world and will continue to explore this passion.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is all about self expression and emoting through images. Art is such a beautiful thing in the way that you can’t be wrong and you have the freedom to create whatever you dream of. What sets me apart from others is my ability to adapt and my eccentric personality. I’ve been modeling for over 8 years and have experienced a wide range of opportunities with amazing people. There is a lot of competition in this industry so it is important to stand out on your own and embrace your uniqueness. I’ve been told by an agent i’m too short to be a model and that I should pretty much give up. Being told I can’t do something lit a fire inside of me and drives me to be the best I can. I’ve continued my education with the Queen of Pose, Coco Rocha, the past year. After her camp I feel like I have been able to tap into another level of modeling and being a muse. My favorite quote from Coco Rocha is “Its nice to be important but its important to be nice.” This rings so true in this industry and in life in general. In the future, I am looking forward to learning even more about myself. I’ve gotten into acting the past year and it has shown me a world where I can share stories through my own personal perspective with words/actions. Jumping into acting has opened my eyes to another side of my creativity. Expressing own personal perspective of the story through tone of voice or action is so fun. Acting class has been somewhat of a therapy class for life. Working with other actors and hearing their struggles is so beautiful because it reminds me how close we are to “strangers”. My acting coach has taught me that dialogue lies but actions don’t. I find that to be very true in life. Instead of just talking about what you want to accomplish, go out and make it happen!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Houston is such a diverse and entertaining city. If my best friend came into town, the first place I would have to take them is to the Conservatory to people watch and catch up, then grab a bite to eat downtown at Phoenicia Specialty Foods. In the evening I would check out The Secret Group or House of Blues for some entertainment. Some of my other favorite places to go for activities are Hermann Park, museum district, rent bikes near Buffalo Bayou, catch a movie at showboat drive in or check local listings for fashion events. Houston has so many great food options that I would want to stop by some of my favorites: CoCo Crêpes, Waffles & Coffee Loving Hut, Pho Bò To & Bò Né, Velvet taco and Tacos Tierra Caliente.

http://www.toddwhite.org

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been so many people who have had a positive influence through my journey. My husband has always been by my side and been there to pick me up when I fall. I am always so grateful for him. Throughout my career, I have met a lot of professional creatives who have inspired me and supported me. A few that Id like to mention is Danny Nguyen, Chris Gillett, and Todd White. Danny Nguyen has been a great friend since the beginning of my career and he has always supported me by having me on his sets. He is a local fashion designer in Houston, TX and let me be apart of his team for as long as I’ve known him. The opportunities he has shared with me are experiences I will hold onto for life. From the fashion shows, photo shoots, video production, charity events and overall giving back to the community has made me feel fulfilled and loved. Chris Gillett has been an loyal and caring friend for years now. I first met him when I started modeling and needed new head shots. At that time, we had both just begun our careers so we were excited to work together. He has continued to grow in his craft and help me along the way. His work shows how passionate he is about capturing a persons best self. I am so grateful to be able to talk to him about life and that he is always there to help me with my next step in acting/modeling. Todd White and I met over social media before I moved to Austin. I had been following him for a while and always loved his photography and videos. We spoke for a while about working together and admired each others work. When we finally got together it was the start of a great friendship/business relationship. He is always willing to help me on my projects and he submits me for local work. I recently moved to Austin a year ago so I am super grateful for him and sharing his connections with me. Looking forward to continuing to work with him and other local brands in Austin.

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahhalvina
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-grimes-24b59378/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.simpson.77582359/

Image Credits
Tony Redmer Chris Gillett Linn Images – Fashion for good 2019 Lenny Wheeler Todd White – Brazos Market ECommerce Michael Allen – Southern Bride 2020