My paintings explore human relationships and emotions through still life.  I use rich color to project a heightened perception of reality.  Through representing familiar objects of life, I confront the viewer with a magnified and intensified view of the ordinary.  The arrangements I use suggest a narrative or emotional tension through the color, lighting, and placement of objects.  The objects I represent then transcend their ordinary context and assume a metaphoric flesh and blood.


Scattered pieces of glass suggest a destructive chaos in opposition to the order and organization of an upright glass.  The tension between objects often becomes a metaphor for both inner conflicts and external relationships.  I use altered perspectives and angles to further question the viewer’s perception of reality and to create a sense of movement and energy in each piece.  My intention is to challenge the viewer to examine this altered view and create their own unique associations.

ABOUT THE PAINTING PROCESS

ARTIST STATEMENT

© 2009 Sarah Canfield

A painting typically starts by shooting up to a hundred or so digital photographs of a still life setup while experimenting with different lighting, perspectives and combinations of objects.  I’m constantly gathering inspiring objects to use as references for paintings.  The finished piece is created both from direct observation and several photos of the setup.  The techniques for completing the painting depend on the medium I’m using as well as the expressive goals of each piece.  I’ve enjoyed using pastels for many years and have recently started using oils to expand the range of possibilities in my work.


Any given piece may take up to a few months to complete depending on its size and complexity.  Creating large scaled, detailed work is like running a marathon.  I sometimes take quick photographs during the process of a painting to allow me to see the progression of the work.  There is often a “stuck” point where a particular problem needs to be solved before the work can be complete.  Once this point is passed it’s a sprint to the finish of the marathon.  Nothing compares to the satisfaction of completing a piece and coming to the culmination of this long term working process.  A successful painting becomes a synthesis of my initial vision with a tangible, visual expression to share with others.

“Departed” in the final painting stage