People often ask me how I decide what to paint. The truth is, I have a few running lists of things to paint at all times. It’s more of a matter of when to paint something. One list is an extensive file library of photographs I’ve taken. It’s a collection of images ready to paint. I tend to view this library every day hoping that one in particular will jump out at me. Another list of things to paint, I keep as a note in my phone (and computer) that I keep track of while I’m out and about and get an idea. And lastly, the other is just in my head. Funny enough, I typically paint something that is fresh in my mind though, and because of that, I don’t believe that I will ever finish my lists of things to paint. I guess you could say that what I paint is an ever-evolving subject with no true pattern. I paint what I love in that moment, and when I do that, I don’t feel like I’m working at all.

On a morning like today, for example, despite my calendar telling me to work on a landscape piece, I decided to paint a pot of daffodils and small bunch of floral filler I bought this weekend to paint with some friends (which we did, and they did a beautiful job for their first time!) When I walked into Trader Joes looking for a floral subject to paint, I originally went in for ranunculuses or yellow tulips, but the daffodils were absolutely the star of the show! I literally walked out of Trader Joes with my face buried in the petals of the daffodils and filler (the filler smells heavenly! Does anyone know the name of it?)

I was still so jazzed about the paintings and daffodils after painting with friends that Monday morning in my studio couldn’t come soon enough! I ended up painting an entirely new daffodil piece that was more refined and “life like”, but I loved the softness in the first one I did with friends more. I went back into the first one and spent around 4 more hours refining areas and adding extra subtleness. (If you look close enough in the last image of the three of us together, you will see how different my piece was before!) I am so pleased with this painting! It is a breath of fresh air, and a very welcome peek at Spring (it snowed a bit here this weekend!) It's even sweeter to me because it's filled with great memories with dear friends! (Thanks, girls! You did so so well!)

This painting will be part of a Spring Collection available on April 20th! If you've been following me on Instagram, this was originally a landscape series, but I can't help but add some florals for Spring. :) Mark your calendars!

1. 

   
   

   
   1. Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
   Dear are the sheep of his fold;
   Dear is the love that he gives them,
   Dearer than silver or gold.
   Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
   Dear are his "other" lost sheep;
   Over the mountains he follows,
   Over the waters so deep.
2. (Chorus)
   Out in the desert they wander,
   Hungry and helpless and cold;
   Off to the rescue he hastens,
   Bringing them back to the fold. (4th verse only: we'll hasten,)
3. 2. Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
   Dear are the lambs of his fold;
   Some from the pastures are straying,
   Hungry and helpless and cold.
   See, the Good Shepherd is seeking,
   Seeking the lambs that are lost,
   Bringing them in with rejoicing,
   Saved at such infinite cost.
4. 3. Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
   Dear are the "ninety and nine";
   Dear are the sheep that have wandered
   Out in the desert to pine.
   Hark! he is earnestly calling,
   Tenderly pleading today:
   "Will you not seek for my lost ones,
   Off from my shelter astray?"
5. 4. Green are the pastures inviting;
   Sweet are the waters and still.
   Lord, we will answer thee gladly,
   "Yes, blessed Master, we will!
   Make us thy true under-shepherds;
   Give us a love that is deep.
   Send us out into the desert,
   Seeking thy wandering sheep."
6. Text: Mary B. Wingate, 1899-1933. 
   Music: William J. Kirkpatrick, 1838-1921.

You may have seen on my Instagram of Facebook page if you follow me there, but the day I painted this meadow tree was just as nostalgic-like as the day I encountered it. Here is what I said of it:

I know that it is technically Autumn as of today, but these peonies are nothing but midsummer in my mind. When I took the photo reference for them a couple of years ago, in the middle of summer, it was while I was staying at my sister's home a few states away. She had the most gorgeous vase of these flowers grown in her sister in law's back yard. Is that what we love so much about flowers? That they resemble the giving done in summer?

Below is my progress shot of this piece. I love it just as much in progress as I do completed, and I photographed it just as the sun was going down so those whites are really glowing! I have a special person and place in mind for this piece, and I am so excited to give it to said person. Now that it's Autumn, I have a hankering to paint more landscapes and portraits. It seems to be this way every year, but I can't wait to get started!

I hope you've enjoyed my recent posts featuring my newest work. Don't forget that this Thursday, June 25th, I will be adding new originals to my online gallery and shop! Links, details, and more information coming soon. Be sure to follow me on my Facebook page or Instagram . . . and my new Twitter account just for my art!!! YAY! I try to add different content to each, but updates for the new originals coming to my shop will be on all social media platforms.

Lastly, I'm hoping to post more guides and tutorials on my blog this next month. What do YOU want to see? Leave a comment below! I would love to hear!

The painting shown above is titled Sunflowers & Eucalyptus. 12x12in. Oil on clay board.

My kitty, Mr. Kitty Bleu, is the best studio buddy. He named himself just by being his mischievous self and dipping his white paws in the blue paint on my palette. Such a stinker! He's learning how to be a good studio cat now though, and since the move he has LOVED the new studio; mostly because he loves looking out the many bright windows while I paint. He loves it so much, that when I shut him out of the studio for a moment today while I prepared a large canvas on the floor (because I didn't want him to walk on wet paint--again! he was SO sad. Two little white paws came straight out from under the door accompanied by a big, sad, "meow." Anyway, I love having him in my studio, as unhelpful as he is sometimes (he also ate a bit of my still life.. bleh!)


If you follow me on social media, you've probably seen peeks of this new painting, and I am so thrilled to finally be posting it today! This is one of those paintings that is in my head long before I get started on it. It's always a treat when that happens. That's not to say that it comes easily, because I definitely sketched it out, wiped it off, started over, at least three times. There's a phrase I love to tell myself when I need to wipe something off, "I did it once, I can do it again." If I see an error in my sketch, composition, and even final painting, it is HANDS DOWN always worth it to scrape it off, erase it, and start again. With this painting, however, I found that "final" sketch so beautiful with some under sketch showing through that I wanted to share that too. I don't share my sketches often, but it's been kind of a fun thing to do lately!




New paintings are coming to my online shop June 25th! Mark your calendars! I haven't decided if I really can let this one go though because I have a great spot in my dining room for it, but it will most likely be in the shop. ;)

-Sarah

About eight years ago, for a show I was in (The 50-50 Show, if you've followed me for a while,) I took a bunch of photographs for the portraits I would paint. Well, I came across that file of photos the other day and just fell in love with this little smirk all over again. I had painted her portrait before, but I don't think I had ever painted this one specifically. Honestly, I don't remember much from this shoot, but I do remember this cute little girl.


Every time I go back to painting a portrait, I fall in love it with all over again. I definitely love painting florals, and landscapes, but something about the challenge of a portrait is so exciting to me. It will always be my love. For this piece particularly, I wanted to stay very loose with my brush. I really love the work of Mary Cassatt, and I just love her crazy edges sometimes. I was thrilled with this piece in the end after studying Cassatt's work in the process.



I included photos of the preliminary sketch in this post because I really love how it compliments the painting. I think if I ever let this piece go to someone else, I may have to include that sketch. It was a quick, and simple sketch, but it's not often that they look that pretty if I'm honest with you haha. I definitely think I create more beautifully with a brush than with a pen or pencil, but I'm ok with that. I can't wait to see this little lady framed and on a wall. A portrait can go anywhere!

First of all, that entire title Farmers Market Peonies sounds completely cliché to me, but sometime you just have to keep it simple. And Farmers Market Peonies is exactly what this post is all about! I went to my first Chicago Farmer's Market today with some friends. It was exceeded all expectations! I planned to not buy anything (hehe, right,) but we caught the floral vendor right as he was wrapping up his booth and his perfect peonies could not be passed up. Also, the grilled cheese with ham and pear marmalade was out of this world!


I went right home after the market and started painting these beauties in my new studio!! If you missed my Instagram post yesterday, I'll fill you in: we moved! We are still in Chicago, but we just switched neighborhoods. My studio is so sunny and bright now (North light, too!) It is such a change from a tiny, dark studio I worked from all of last year. I feel so undeserving and grateful to be able to paint in there now, but I also feel so motivated and inspired. I have to paint well and work even harder in order to do this studio justice, isn't that how it should be? Anyway, This painting is the very first in the new place, and I'm so thrilled. I think it's going to be a great place to create.




I'm still unpacking boxes from the move (it's only been 4 days!) so I have yet to locate my brushes. I did find this one brush and small palette knife in my "go bag," so they were the only two tools used for this painting. It's always fun to give yourself a little challenge like limiting tools or colors; I need to do it more! I love what I was able to create with just those two. Also, the black board is just a foam board I taped a small unstretched canvas square to. I wish I could keep it together with the painting! What do you think? -Thanks for reading and following along!

 I always love looking back on old work. Painting can be such a reflective medium for me. When I see old work from ten years and even a year ago (like the painting shown above,) I am flooded with memories; I feel the emotions I felt while creating a piece. I remember the words of the book I listened to while painting it. I smell the shared student studio I worked in on campus. I feel the urgency I felt to complete my work for the show. And that's just the beginning. From start to finish, from a photoshoot for a painting to the end of an exhibit of painting, those memories are all intertwined in the brushwork of my paintings.




One of my favorite candid photographs (ever!) from my photoshoots for painting reference was from the set of photos for this painting. These girls were just so wonderful to work with. They absolutely exceeded my expectations. I had six of them there that day to help, and you know we had fun doing it! I love that this picture captures that. (Thanks again, girls!) You'll see them appear again in paintings throughout my future posts, but the painting above features two of them, sisters, second from the left and far right.