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Sarah Lamb always paints from life, arranging the items before her with an emphasis on complementary textures, a passion for the artist established early in her career. Lamb’s paintings are “seasonal,” as she describes. Painting for the Timeless Memories exhibition, the artist drew seasonal inspiration from farmers markets, beautiful produce and flowers that are in season. “I’m inspired by everything around me,” Lamb explains. “Especially if it is a new texture that I have not painted before.”
Lamb has been an artist since her hair was long enough to paint with. Her family, saw that she “was drawn to art – painting and drawing, mostly – and decided to enroll me in art classes. It just took off from there!” Later on, a 2-week oil painting workshop in Santa Fe with Jacob Collins in the early 90s led to the introduction to Collins’ mentor, Ted Seth Jacobs. The medium, in the hands of Lamb and through the guidance of her mentors, Collins and Jacobs, proved perfect to capture the color, depth, and texture of Lamb’s objects. “I’d been afraid of [oil paint],” reflects Lamb. “But once I started, it was life-changing.” Decades later, Lamb is a nationally recognized American realist painter, considered to be one of the best contemporary painters in the United States.
I spent a lot of time by myself as an only child growing up. I used to paint with the end of my pigtails! My family noticed that I was drawn to art – painting and drawing, mostly – and decided to enroll me in art classes. It just took off from there!
I feel like my paintings are “seasonal.” Right now, I am getting lots of inspiration from farmers market and beautiful produce and flowers that are in season. The gardenias I painted were from my backyard. I’m inspired by everything around me – especially if it is a new texture that I have not painted before.
Oranges and Pears
There was a well-known 19th century still life painter named John McCloskey who used to paint oranges and fruit wrapped in tissue. This painting is an homage to him. I’ve done several paintings of pears and lemons wrapped in tissue, and I thought it would be fun to have the pears unwrapped and some oranges wrapped. I love the dance and play of light on the tissue and the transparency. It’s almost sculptural.
Two Pineapples
The pineapples just caught my eye in the grocery store the other day. I must’ve bought 10 or 12 of them to play with… We made a lot of piña colada‘s that week!
First Gardenias
These were the first gardenias off my bountiful bushes this year. I was so lucky to have a great crop of them to paint. They are my absolute favorite flower aside from peonies because their amazing aroma fills my studio as I paint them.
Sometimes my husband has to come in and tell me when a painting is finished! I tend to work on things too long and have to stop myself!! I always try to keep things fresh and never overwork a Painting.
I would hope a collector would notice the care and love I put into each painting. I like to make a composition of interesting objects sing, and I hope that is what they are drawn to.
