Sara W. Culpepper is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University (BA) and of the University of Virginia (MFA). Currently, she is based in Atlanta, working as a lecturer in the Department of Theater and Dance and as resident scenic artist and scenic designer with Theater Emory at Emory University. Designing nationally and locally, she has had the pleasure of working with many talented artists at the Heritage Theatre Festival, The Atlanta Opera, The Culbreth Stage, the Alliance Theatre, Dogwood Studios, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, The Center for Puppetry Arts, CENTERSTAGE in Baltimore, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Sara studied painting, drawing, architecture, and furniture making. While studying for her undergraduate degree, she became intrigued by architecture and art. She wanted to find an avenue that took both of these interests and combined them to form a collaborative artistic experience. Scenic design found her. Her approach to set design incorporates the integration of the human form within its environment. She enjoys the translation of text into location and the exploration of how the characters interact with the audience. Research is a huge part of this discovery, and she pulls from her personal experience and emotional responses to produce the surroundings. Line, texture, and color are essential to her composition and design.