Sarah Sedwick, Oil Painter

Who are and where are you from?
I’m Sarah Sedwick, and I’m an oil painter. I grew up in Cleveland, and I’ve been living in beautiful Eugene, Oregon since 2007.

Is creating art your passion and/or your profession?
Yes, and yes! I’ve made my living as a full-time artist for several years now, but I am passionately in love with it as well. And teaching - giving back what I’ve learned over the years - has only deepened that love. My workshops and online art mentorship program have enriched my life and my artmaking in amazing, innumerable ways!

How did you get into doing it?
I went to art school at MICA, straight out of high school. It was a fantastic education, but I felt aimless in my twenties, unsure of how to embark on an art career. In 2008, I discovered Daily Painting, and began my art journey in earnest. The concept that every painting didn’t have to be perilously precious - that each day could be a new beginning - set me free, and I haven’t looked back! Although I don’t consider myself a traditional daily painter at this point - my work has gotten larger and I now often spend several days on each piece - the mentality involved, the boldness and daring that daily painting engenders, have stayed with me. 

What is your driving force?
To create beautiful images, to paint light and the effects of light, rather than objects on a table. To share my love and joy in painting - the discoveries, large and small, that every day can bring when we spend it working.

What kind of work you do and why?
I paint alla prima, from direct observation. I’m fascinated by color, by perception, and by the way the design of my paintings affects my viewer.
My still lifes can take days to set up. I often make quick black-and-white value studies as part of my process, and every bit of it pays off. The more time I spend preparing, the more smoothly the painting goes!

And anything else that might be interesting to our readers.
My teaching philosophy is simply this: Make painting fun. Feel free to take risks, to fail. To improve, we need to paint. A lot! But love and enjoyment are the key. Keep it simple, go back to basics regularly, and always be on the lookout for beauty in the small things.

Links:
My website: sarahsedwick.com
My instagram: @sedwickstudio
My blog: sedwickpaints.blogspot.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sedwickstudio