Local artist and muralist Amy Sachse is developing her name as a go-to artist for custom work on everything from restaurant walls to wedding gifts. Chances are you’ve seen her work at Lakes Tavern & Grill in Woodbury, where her urban murals, custom signage and art pieces are on display throughout the dining room.
Sachse has loved sharing her gift of creativity as far back as she can remember. “My dad worked long hours [at 3M] and traveled, and as a kid I just remember making presents for him,” says Sachse, who grew up in Woodbury and attended Woodbury High School. “In school, I was always entering art contests. I have always loved creating things for people. I had to do something that I loved and had a passion for.” Sachse received her formal training in studio arts from the University of Minnesota. Now that her three children are older, she has devoted more time to taking on custom projects.
“It’s been all word-of-mouth,” Sachse says. “People will call me and say, ‘Can you put this up on my wall? I got your name from so and so.’ I have also been creating quite a few requests for my custom street signs, like the ones at Lakes Tavern & Grill. They are black and white subway-style, vintage-looking street signs with Woodbury street names, for example, or some people opt to list all the streets of their past family homes.”
Sachse has also created murals for several Woodbury homeowners, as well as a large mural for Spirit Lake Pub & Patio on Lake Mille Lacs. She is even painting a design onto a KitchenAid mixer for someone to give as a special wedding present. Several of her recent projects were referrals from local interior designer Christie Schellenbach.
“I met Amy through some of her neighbors, who recognized her awesome talent from her projects on her own home,” Shellenbach says. “The first project I worked on with Amy was Lakes Tavern and Grill. I had some ideas in my head and a few items I wanted to incorporate, and Amy was able to take them and turn them into amazing pieces—a giant ‘L’ made out of mirrors, cool local subway-style street signs, and one-of-a-kind murals.”
Recently, one of Schellenbach’s clients wanted a something special for their 8-year-old son’s bedroom. Sachse created a graffiti-style neon mural featuring all of his favorite interests. “When we decided to do something super unique for my client’s son, Amy was the first person I thought of,” Schellenbach says. “Amy is an amazing artist who takes whatever vision you have, big or small, and turns it into something magical.”
Sachse also does volunteer work, creating décor for fundraising events and banquets for PWER ski racing team (South Washington County Schools’ combined high school alpine ski racing teams), and Neighborhood House on St. Paul’s West Side. When she is not creating, her passions include involvement in local Bible studies, spending time with her three children and husband, and taking long walks around Colby Lake with her poodle Chief, who is part of the inspiration for a painting she is working on.
“I’ve started a painting for the man who gave us our hunting poodle, Chief,” Sachse says. “Ed lost one of his competitive dogs recently, and I have his favorite photo of him and Duffy after a long and successful hunt together. He has already named the painting ‘Two Old Dogs.’”
Sachse’s work can be found on her Facebook page here.
