Alumni Profile: Sarah Gormley '94

ALUMNI PROFILE:

September 10, 2024, is a day that will forever be etched in the memory of Sarah Gormley ‘94. It’s the day her memoir, "The Order of Things," is launched to the public. “As a writer I hope that people respond to the craft. I hope that people are moved by the writing as much as by the story. There is an element of the book that is hopeful. It’s not a self-help book, not prescriptive, but I am learning that people are relating to parts of it and seeing there is possibility for change in their own lives.” 

The story centers around a recent period in Gormley’s life when she left her highly successful, corporate career to become a caregiver for ailing relatives. She endured the loss of her parents, founded her own art gallery and along the way fell in love.

Gormley was an English major at DePauw and a member of Pi Beta Phi who went on to earn an MBA at the University of Chicago. Her art collecting began early – on Commencement day 1994 – when her grandmother asked her what she’d like as a graduation gift. Without hesitation, Gormley led her grandmother to the Emison Art Gallery on campus and pointed to a stunning painting by her classmate Matt Wenc ’94. Gormley says owning her first original piece of art inspired her to begin collecting small pieces she could afford on the budget of a recent graduate, and her passion for collecting and displaying art has only grown since then.

Now she owns Sarah Gormley Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, where she represents a range of artists from various mediums, styles, and subject matter. “I choose and pursue artists for my gallery because I have an emotional reaction to the work, an internal stirring. I get competitive and feel I need this artist to be part of the gallery. I’m also intentional about having a range of mediums and subject matter and price points, so a first-time buyer as a well as a seasoned collector feels comfortable. I work hard to make the gallery approachable with zero tolerance for any pretense or the perceived snobbery that can sometimes exist in the world of art collecting.”

In June, Gormley returned to DePauw to celebrate her 30-year reunion and the anticipated launch of her book among friends. “Being able to be back on campus with many of the friends I made while a student, it struck me that the relationships just get better and better. Collectively our appreciation for the DePauw experience is increasing exponentially. We see what’s happening in the world, look at our lives and families, and we just have so much gratitude. We couldn’t have that appreciation when we were in the midst of it at age 18 or 19. It’s a beautiful aspect of aging – the perspective to truly know the value of the DePauw experience.”

Reflecting on her student years, Gormley says Professor Wayne Glausser is even in the acknowledgements of her book. “He was my advisor from first-year through my thesis on Raymond Carver. He was incredibly influential on my life overall but specifically as a reader and a writer. Having that one-on-one relationship with such an intelligent generous advisor was life changing.”

As of this fall, the English majors fall within DePauw’s new Creative School. “I love the introduction of Creative School because I believe the heart of creativity is openness, expression, and finding new ways to look at the world. I don’t think there is any profession or career that doesn’t need the skill of being able to see things in a different way and being able to express oneself.”

Gormley is a loyal supporter of The Fund for DePauw. “Every year since graduation!” she says. “I gave what I could when I could. I feel a responsibility because of the profound impact DePauw had on my life. DePauw is such a special place. How lucky was I to have that opportunity? I want to do my part to ensure more young people can have that opportunity.”

Gormley’s new book is out now and available on Amazon.com or by ordering through your favorite book shop. The audio book is narrated by another DePauw alumna and Gormley's sorority sister, Nancy Brougher Benincasa '94.