Sarah Verardo: An Appreciation of Perspective
Sarah Verardo, a contemporary oil painter based in Providence, RI, pays homage to the natural environment and the profound impact it has had on her personal evolution as an artist. Through her journey with grief, Verardo has become a more thoughtful observer and considers each painting to be an expression of gratitude. Whether it’s surfers waiting patiently in the water, or an intricate study of one seemingly unexceptional shell, Verardo’s paintings gesture toward an appreciation for the ordinary pieces of time and place.
How did your creative journey begin?
My journey to becoming an artist was an indirect one. I was an artistic kid, but didn't think much of it beyond the fact that I enjoyed drawing. When I was in college, my school had a very small art department with only a handful of classes to offer. There was one painting class, which was Intro to Oil Painting. I took to painting immediately, but still never considered art anything more than a hobby. After graduation, I went into marketing and did not pick up a paintbrush again for 17 years. I finally began painting again during the pandemic, and I have never been more certain that this is my purpose in life.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I moved back to my native Rhode Island after living in DC and New York City for almost two decades. Initially, my work focussed on the surfers in the water around my childhood home, where I had quarantined for nine months. Eventually, I moved on to still lives of shells and stones I had picked up on the beach. Ultimately my work is inspired by my environment and the comfort and familiarity of home.
How has your work evolved over the last few years?
My work has completely changed in the past few years. The biggest shift occurred in response to my experience navigating through grief. When I had painted seascapes and surfers, I was quarantined at my childhood home and very much focussed on the idleness of the surfers in the water. Through my experience with grief I shifted my focus to my own perspective. Since then, my work has centered around an appreciation for the ordinary, overlooked pieces around me.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
I usually begin work around 10am. Lately, I've been working straight through until late afternoon when it's time for my parental responsibilities to begin. I work off of reference photos that I take of my subjects. While the conceptual part of my work has already happened during the photo shoot, I often don't know what the mood of the piece will be or how intricate the details are until I'm well into my painting process. There are times when it feels like my subject changes every time I sit in front of my easel. Cracks appear out of nowhere, colors change, shapes morph. The point of my work is to get people to notice things, but I'm always surprised by how much I don't notice... until I do.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
The most significant experience that impacted my work as an artist was the death of my father. Through my struggles with grief, I developed a perspective that I don't think was possible for me to have before. All of my work is an appreciation of perspective, and I have no idea what my work would look like today if I haven't gone through that profound human experience.
How has social media impacted your art career?
I don't really enjoy social media, but I recognize that it's a necessary evil, and I can attribute a lot of my success so far to social media. More so than broad exposure, I would say connections via social media have made the biggest impact on my career as an artist. I've been able to connect with artists, buyers, and industry professionals on a one-to-one level. I very much see my journey as one foot in front of the other and a lot of those steps have been through interactions and relationships found via Instagram.
What are your future goals and aspirations?
All I have ever wanted was to be able to do what I love, while providing for my family. I'm a mildly social introvert, so notoriety has never appealed to me. My ultimate goal is to be able to paint as my full-time occupation. I recognize the incredible privilege it is to have the opportunity even to try to make that a reality. It has been an incredible leap of faith, and really exhausting at times, but I feel so fortunate for all of the progress I've made, and there's a really exciting shift that has happened this past year.
Website: www.sarahverardoart.com
Instagram: @sarahverardo_art