A painter from the young age of ten, Sarah Sedwick went on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Maryland Institute, College of Art in 2001, and now lives and works in Eugene as a full-time painter. “I also love teaching,” she says. She teaches oil painting workshops in Eugene and other parts of the country, as well as one-on-one mentorships online for artists seeking to grow and expand their craft.
Sarah began blogging shortly after hearing about a daily painting challenge. “The idea that each piece didn’t have to be an enormous investment of time and materials, and could be about something as simple as a beautiful color combination, really set me free to experiment and grow as a painter.” You can see her daily paintings, as well as pieces from her workshops and more on her Instagram account, as well as her active blog.
As Sarah’s career has grown from the quick daily paintings to larger works, “I still aim to keep that freshness and immediacy in all of my work.”
Words of Wisdom from Sarah:
Chuck Close said it best: “Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work… All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you.”
That pretty much sums it up for me.
However, I will say that the best way to improve your painting is to draw. Draw every day, just a simple pencil in a cheap sketchbook. This is also where ideas come from.
Follow Sarah!
Website: sarahsedwick.com
Blog: sedwickpaints.blogspot.com
Instagram: @sedwickstudio
Header images: Above, left to right: “Garlic-Stuffed Olives,”“Three Oranges no.1,” and “Three-and-a-Half Lemons,” all 8x8” oil on canvas