Mars Perkins: Turning Feeling into Color at Midtown Second Saturday

October 8th, 2025

Mars Perkins, Midtown Second Saturday’s October featured artist, brings a deeply personal and expressive voice to Sacramento’s art scene. Growing up in Vacaville, she has been creating since childhood, using art as both therapy and self-expression. What began as simple doodles has grown into Discovering Mars—her evolving practice rooted in emotion, abstraction, and spontaneity.

Since moving to Sacramento in 2023, Mars has immersed herself in the city’s creative community, drawing inspiration from local markets, pop-ups, and gallery shows. Her abstract works are guided by feeling rather than plan, and through live painting at Second Saturday she’s discovered the joy of creating with and for others.

In our interview, Mars shared how art continues to help her heal, connect, and honor the memory of her late mother, Sandy, whose spirit inspires every canvas.

Can you share a bit about your background, and what initially drew you to pursue art as a passion or career?

I grew up in Vacaville, CA and have been a lover of art since I was little. I spent most of my free time drawing, even when I was supposed to be doing other stuff like schoolwork. Somehow, doodles would end up on the pages. I’m someone who has struggled with their metal heath most of their life and Art was more than a hobby for me, it was therapy and at times is the only way I could truly express myself. I’ve taken art classes in school but never knew if it would ever come of anything, just like many artists. I was told that it wasn’t a very sustainable career and when it was, it was almost impossible to achieve. Art remained more of a hobby for most of my life until I moved out to Sacramento in 2023. I was suddenly surrounded by so many creators and communities within the art world. I would spend my weekends going to vendor markets, art pop-ups, and gallery shows. These events opened my eyes up to so many opportunities that I could have as a working artist. So what did I do? I went home one day and started to post my art slowly building the business that I call Discovering Mars.

How would you describe your artistic style and what sets your work apart from other artists?

I guess the easiest way to explain my art would be abstract for most of my paintings. I’ve never had an idea in mind when I come to sit down most of the time. I just have an emotion. This emotion carries my paintbrush into different patterns and motions that slowly builds and builds into the final piece. I never want my art to feel like it’s taking energy out of me. I want it to put energy in me. That is why I’ve always found it so important to just let my hand run freely among the canvas till it tells me what it wants to paint. This is what I think sets myself apart from other artists.

How did you first get involved with Second Saturday, and what does it mean to you as a local artist?

I had the opportunity to live paint at the World’s Worst Expo, which had been a part of Second Saturdays last year. It was my first time ever being a part of one. I was curious on how to get more involved with Second Saturdays, so while I was live painting, I saw the first person in a staff T-shirt and asked them what I should do. To my surprise, I unintentionally asked one of the main workers for [Midtown] Second Saturday, Amanda [Sawasy, Associate Director of Events and Markets for Midtown Association]. She asked me to send my info over to her and within a month, I was being asked to do a live painting. This opportunity has meaned so much to me, it has given me a chance to build even more community out in Sacramento and push myself into different creative spaces.

What impact has showing your art and spending time in Midtown specifically had on your creative process or artistic style?

It’s made me realize how much I love to create around people. The majority of the time when I’m attending the Second Saturdays, I am live painting. I get to talk with community members as I create, hear what they think it might turn into, and sometimes they even come back to actually see it finished. I’ve definitely had much more of an appreciation for having other people involved in my creative process. I still remember the first time I let a little kid pick up one of my paintbrushes and put paint on a canvas. I remember telling them that the best part about art is, there’s no requirement for it. You just create for you, for others, or for the world.

What are some of your aspirations or goals as an artist, both in terms of your personal growth and the impact you hope to make through your art?

One of my goals as an artist is to always be growing and learning something where I feel confident in my skills, I never ever want to assume that I’ve learned enough. I think there will always be more for me to learn and as long as I’m willing to do that, I’m accomplishing one of my biggest goals as an artist. As for the impact, I’ve thought a lot about this as a creator, and all I want is for my art to bring joy to people. I want somebody who is going through something to look at one of my pieces to resonate with it, and I want them to feel a little bit less alone. We’re all going through 1 million things on our own and if my art can connect with somebody that that’s worth more than any money I could receive.

Anything else you’d like to share?

This Midtown Second Saturday Artist Feature is brought to you by Live Midtown Sponsors: Demmon Partners/16 Powerhouse, 19J Midtown, The Press at Midtown Quarter Apartments, and 17Central

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