Paintings and Drawings by Sarah Parks

Sarah's Thoughts on Oil Painting 

Oil painting has flourished throughout history because of the unarticulated need in humankind to see a better world, a truer truth that could be hiding just behind the veil of the world they see every day. Within all of us lies a wistfulness to see the way things ought to be, beyond the way they are.  I hope to provide through my paintings not only a clearer, more compelling reality, but the lens through which to view it.  It is a thrilling thing to create a painting that gives a mundane sight a new light, richer colors, and more compelling emotion.

When painting a portrait, I enjoy getting to know the sitter.  The challenge then becomes capturing the personality and likeness of that person because that portrait will forever exemplify its subject’s spirit.  I try to show through my art that my primary passion is drawing and painting faces. The hours of making tiny adjustments to achieve a likeness may seem tedious for some, but are for me an invigorating challenge as I attempt to render all the little details that make that person unique.  I truly consider it an honor to recreate on canvas the essence of an individual created by God. 

Drawing has been something I’ve done instinctively for as long as I can remember, and for many years pencils were my medium of choice.  But when I discovered oil paint, a whole new world opened up to me.  The glow and transparency of oil that makes a face so lifelike, the juxtaposition of cool and warm tones, and the various textures and brushstrokes of paint are what make a painting a joy to look at over and over.  This requires a process of learning that can’t be mastered overnight.  In fact, the artist is in a constant state of learning.  But when a painting is successful, it can bring delight to the painter and the viewer.  My aspiration for every painting is to capture the perfect play of light, shadow, and color, embodying the spirit and composition of my painting.