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!

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

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.

In June of last year I hung my senior exhibit, also known as a BFA show, at the Harris Fine Arts Center at Brigham Young University. It was a wonderful experience and I still feel so grateful for all the support and help I recieved in preparation for that show. The theme was "Variations on the Hymns."

- Mary Cassatt -

In addition to making art, I've always loved simply looking at art. When I'm feeling uninspired to paint I look at good art until the spark comes back to me.  This painting by the beautiful Mary Cassatt was one of those "sparklers." The real goodness of this painting is seen when you can see it close up. Click the image to see it larger, and watch her brushwork come to life! An additional viewing pleasure is to look through this online collection of Mary's work. I think some of her lesser-known works are some of her best!