About the Artist
Lost & Found
Life can change in a day. Twenty years ago, while on my first (and only) visit to Paris, I made the obligatory visit to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and found myself nose-to-nose with Van Gogh's Noon: Rest from Work. It was the most magnificent painting I had ever seen. Transfixed by the thousands upon thousands of brush strokes, the textures of the thick paint, and vivid hues of gold and blue, I was unable to move.
A few years later, I had the good fortune to become the publisher of Southwest Art magazine. When a "work" day is filled with visits to fine art galleries and artist studios (including Master painters like David Leffel), it's easy to fantasize about becoming an artist. That said, my A-type, perfectionist self determined it was better to keep the dream alive than forever dashed by a colossal fail.
But life CAN change in a day and, after leaving the corporate world a few years ago (and feeling quite adrift), I gifted myself the freedom to fail and signed up for oil painting lessons. In that class I learned Thomas Merton was so, so right when he said, "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time". I found so much more than I lost. I reconnected with my inner joy and discovered the perfect conduit for creative expression.
If you are inspired by my story and/or artwork, please drop me a note. And, if you are so moved to do so, several of these paintings are available for sale. I'm also paint on a commission basis.
Many thanks for visiting Sarah Marshall Elliott Oils and please come again.
Recognition and Awards:
First Place (oil)– 2020 RAL Art Center Labor Day Show
People’s Choice Award – 2020 RAL Art Center Labor Day Show
Third Place – 2020 JRAL Exhibit, A Picture is Worth 1000 Words (judged by Andre Lucero)
Honorable Mention – 2020 Radford University Art Museum Exhibit, More Leaves on the Tree
FAV15% (Jury’s favorite 15% of entries) Winner– July 2020 BoldBrush Painting Competition
First Place – 2021 You Be the Judge Exhibit – RAL Art Center
First Place – 2021 The Art of Still Life Exhibit – RAL Art Center
Instruction/Workshops:
James Richards www.artistjamesrichards.com
Robin Caspari (Lee) www.robincaspari.com
Derek Penix www.derekpenix.com
David Tanner http://www.davidtannerfineart.com
