Featured Artist: Sarah Barron

Who is Sarah Barron?

Sarah is a senior here at OA. She is a part of the Art 4 class. She is inspired by nature. Sarah loves BBQ Chicken and uses her favorite mediums of: charcoal, watercolor, and oil paints.

What deos Sarah like?

Food: BBQ chicken Dessert: ice cream Song: most songs by Taylor Swift Artist: Leonid Afremov Book: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Artwork

Note from the Artist:

My self portrait entitled, “Captivated,” is an accurate representation of my personality. It features me gazing intently with a slightly serious expression, clearly mesmerized by what I am looking at. This piece was one of my most difficult to create, due to the high levels of contrast, as well as the inherent detail required in capturing facial features. Precision was essential, which was especially difficult to achieve with charcoal. With this piece, I aim to inspire the audience to look at the world through my perspective and become captivated by their surroundings.

“Chrysanthemum” is a scientifically-inspired drawing done in pen. I love spending time in nature, so I was excited for the opportunity to explore a flower on such an intricate level. It was amazing to look at all the details and attempt to capture them in a precise manner. However, I found it challenging to develop the organic textures of the flower while solely using a pen. I hope that the viewer is able to gain an appreciation of the fleeting beauty of nature from my drawing.

The piece entitled, “Reflecting Joy,” depicts a young girl playing with her reflection in a mirror. The composition consists entirely of ten words: playful, joyful, happy, merry, delighted, curious, thrilled, elated, whimsical, and cheerful. By writing the same words over and over in pen, I used the technique of micrography to build value. Though creating this piece was a time-consuming and repetitive process, I believe that I was able to convey a sense of happiness. I hope that the viewer is reminded of joyful times in their own childhood by looking at my piece.

Interview:

How old are you? Grade? Family? 17 years old, 12th grade How did you become an artist? How long have you been practicing? I took art lessons for a few years when I was younger, and that experience sparked my interest in art. I became more interested in art when I joined OA’s art program and Ms. Shea helped me take my skills to the next level. What inspires you? I am inspired by nature and love trying to capture the beauty of the natural world. Sunsets, animals, and flowers and all frequent subjects in my artwork. What is your favorite medium? Charcoal, watercolor, and oil paints are some of my favorite mediums. I enjoy all three because of the way they allow me to smoothly blend colors together. What do you like most about being an artist? I like being able to create pieces that showcase my perspective of the world and offer a message to the viewer. Art often conveys more emotion and meaning than a simple photograph could. Do you want to pursue this in the future? I do not plan on studying art as my major in college, but I will likely continue to create art as a hobby in my free time. Art is a great way for me to relieve stress and connect with my creative side, and the skills that I’ve learned from art are applicable to so many other parts of life. What does your art mean to you? My art is a means of self-expression for me. Art allows me to be creative and share what I think is important with others. What are you working on now? Currently I am working on a symbolic piece that serves as social activism. The issue that I am calling to light is the corruption of the earth by modern society. In my piece, I compare the earth to an eggshell, emphasizing its fragility and tendency to crack under pressure. By portraying the planet in vivid hues and leaving the human hand in black and white, I aimed to insinuate the idea that people are having a negative effect on their environment. The planet looks vibrant and beautiful, while the hand appears as a catalyst of darkness and corruption. The hand is representative of the entire human population, both present and in the future. In this way, the fate of the earth is symbolically in our hands. Humans possess the power to either improve or damage the earth, and I hope to encourage people to recognize their impact on the world around them with my piece.