"As an oil painter of animals, I use my paint to tell a story. Using emotion that goes beyond the brushstroke, it is the experiences in my life and my love for animals and their incomparable uniqueness that I wish to capture. Every painting is different. Be it the color of a nose, the spark in the eyes, the thickness of fur or the curve of an ear, there has to be one thing I wish to say with my paint that will reach out and touch the viewer. I combine this simplicity of thought with my own unique brushwork to create my art. It is mostly a visceral response..there is not a lot of rendering or information in my paintings. I often add a humorous title or an old-fashioned name to my pieces to give them an extra narrative. I want the viewer to connect to the piece emotionally, become a part of the story, like a good character in a book. This might make my work more idealized, but that's OK..my animals live in a better world. This is what makes me excited about my art...sometimes I get so excited about a new project I can't sleep at night. That's how I know I am really an artist. It is truly something to live for and being able to make people laugh, smile, or even cry, is worth all my time."
Sarah J. Webber grew up in St. Paul, MN in an artistic family. At an early age she showed an affinity towards both music and art. She graduated from the University of MN in 1987, with a fine arts degree in vocal performance and a minor in art history. Later that year, she relocated west to Jackson Hole, Wy, a favorite family spot. There, she became interested in oil painting after meeting some of the local artists. She took workshops with landscape painters Scott Christensen and Matt Smith, while exploring portraiture at Central Wyoming College. In the 1990`s she relocated to Scottsdale, AZ, and furthered her art studies at Scottsdale Artist School which included workshops with Kevin MacPherson, and attending classes drawing models from life. In 2001, after spending nearly 10 years working in art galleries, she began to explore the idea of painting full time. She started placing oil paintings of barnyard animals, a subject matter she loves, in galleries and noticed that her paintings were quickly purchased. Sarah's style is painterly but also incudes an element of realism with a focus on expressiveness, lush color and thick brushwork. She achieves this by starting with a good drawing, then pushing around the paint with a confident but sensitive brushstroke. She also likes to play with color, surface quality, design and simplified form. Sarah`s influences include deceased masters N. C. Wyeth, Frank Tenney Johnson, William Herbert Dunton, W. R. Leigh, Bob Kuhn, living artists Peggi Kroll Roberts and landscape painter Glenn Dean. In the past few years Sarah's work has appeared in many top exhibits and museum shows, including such venues as the Gilcrease Museum, the CM Russell Museum, The Desert Caballeros Museum, and the Clymer Museum in Ellensburg, WA, which hosted a major exhibition of her work in 2009. In January 2011 of this year, Sarah was invited by the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY, to participate in the Winter Carnival Quick Draw, where her painting, "Puccini" of a brown bear, went to a sealed
bid and was the second top money getter. She currently resides in Tucson, AZ, and also spends her summers in Jackson, WY.
GROUP AFFILIATIONS: American Women Artists, Associate Member, Tucson Plein Air Painters, Associate Member,
Member, Friends of Western Art
Sarah J. Webber
RECENT AWARDS, SHOWS AND PUBLICATIONS
Sarah's painting "Flowers and Clouds" was judged into the FAV15% Judges Favorite 15% for the January Bold Brush Art Contest for fineartstudioonline.com
February 2011 Issue Cowboys and Indians Magazine Sarah's painting "Thelma andLouise" is featured in a column annoucing the Cowgirl Up! Show in Wickenburg on Mar. 26th, 2011.
2011 Southwest Art March Issue Sarah will be one of six featured artists who paint bears in the March issue of Southwest Art, "All Creatures Great and Small".
2011 SouthWest Art March Issue Sarah's painting "On My Own" will be the featured painting in the magazine's "Win this Painting" contest.
2010 MAY ISSUE WESTERN ART COLLECTOR Picture of Sarah in front of her sold piece, "Etta and Amelia" from the article entitled "Desert Dance" featuring the artists from "Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West" at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, AZ.
2010 MARCH WESTERN ART TIMES NEWSLETTER Sarah's painting "Etta and Amelia" featured in the article on "Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West".
PAINTINGS FEATURED - AMERICAN ART COLLECTOR MAGAZINE Page 72 as part of "A Gathering Place" feature article on Addison Art Gallery, Orleans, MA
"American Art in Miniature" Thomas Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK opening Oct. 25th, 2008 with art exhibit and sale on November 6, 2008
Cowgirl Up! Desert Caballeros Museum, Wickenburg, AZ March 27, 2009 Invited Artist to one of the most prestigious shows for women western artists in the Country.
JUNE 4, 2009 ONE WOMAN EXHIBIT - JOHN CLYMER MUSEUM OF ART, ELLENSBURG, WA
JULY/AUG 2008 HALF PAGE ADD - ART OF THE WEST MAGAZINE
APRIL 2008 - SCOTTSDALE ARTIST’S SCHOOL BEAUX ART BASH, Scottsdale, AZ
Invited Artist
APRIL 2008 - UNIV. OF ARIZONA RODEO SCHOLARSHIP FUND FUNDRAISER, Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ - Invited Artist
FEBRUARY 2008 - MUNGER CHADWICK ART SHOW AND SALE FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES Tucson Country Club, Tucson, AZ - Invited Artist
FEBRUARY 2008 - AMERICAN MINIATURES 2008 Settlers West
Galleries, Tucson, AZ Invited Artist - 3rd year in a row
JANUARY 2008 - EMPIRE RANCH 100 - Tucson, AZ, Juried Exhibitor, 1 piece in top 100
JANUARY - MARCH 2008 - CELEBRATION OF FINE ART, Scottsdale, Az Juried Exhibitor
DECEMBER 2007 AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS MASTER SIGNATURE AND SIGNATURE MEMBER SHOW, LeKae Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ Juried Competition Finalist
NOVEMBER 2007 - 38TH ANNUAL MOUNTAIN OYSTER CLUB ART SHOW AND SALE, Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ - Two juried paintings
NOVEMBER 2007 - “BRUSHSTROKES WITH FEELING” Sarah J. Webber 3 day workshop taught at Stone Ave. Gallery, Tucson, AZ
SEPTEMBER 2007 “FALL ROUND UP” Group Show, Buffalo Trail Gallery, Jackson, WY
JULY 2007 “JUST FOR FUN” Two person show featuring the work of Sarah J. Webber and Ann Trainor Domigue, Addison Art Gallery, Orleans, MA
MAY 2007 SALON INTERNATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION OF OIL PAINTINGS, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX, - Juried Finalist
APRIL 2007 SOUTHWEST ART MAGAZINE - Featured Artist - “START YOUR COLLECTION” section
APRIL 2007 SCOTTSDALE ARTIST’S SCHOOL BEAUX ART BASH FUNDRAISER - Scottsdale, AZ - Invited Artist
MARCH 2007 MUNGER CHADWICK CHILDREN’S SHOW FOR CHARITIES, Tucson Country Club, Tucson, AZ - Invited Artist
FEBRUARY 2007 AMERICAN MINIATURES 2007 - Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, AZ - Invited Artist
FEBRUARY 2007 SOUTHWEST ART MAGAZINE - “On the Scene” Section - Featured Painting, “Violet” 2007 Purchase Award Winner, 37th Annual Mountain Oyster Club Art Show and Sale
JANUARY - MARCH 2007 CELEBRATION OF FINE ART, Scottsdale, AZ - Juried Exhibitor
NOVEMBER 2006 37TH ANNUAL MOUNTAIN OYSTER CLUB ART SHOW AND SALE, Tucson, AZ - two juried paintings, 20 x 20" painting “Violet” Purchase Award Winner
SEPTEMBER 2006 ONE WOMAN SHOW "OUT TO PASTURE" Whitney Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA in conjunction with Thursday Night's Art Walk
