ABOUT THE ARTIST
SARA SWAN
Sara Swan credits her education at Art Center College of Design for teaching her both discipline and technique. After graduation, she spent time in New York City, working with book and magazine publishers, and graphic designers. Sara created images for short stories by James A. Michener and Maya Angelou, among many others. A drawing of Gay Telese’s brownstone in New York City led to a chance encounter with the writer and his wife when they asked to purchase the art.
Continuing her training, she studied pattern design, fabric design in Japan, and art history and language in Italy. For many years, she had a love affair with pastel on paper, culminating in the solo show, “Get Dressed” at Clover Gallery in Silverlake. Sara was part of the downtown Los Angeles art community for several years, maintaining a studio in the Old Bank District at Spring Arts Tower. There, she exhibited her art in the building’s gallery and continues to show large abstract paintings at the nearby Continental Building.
These combined experiences have helped Sara develop a nuanced approach to oil painting. She uses tools that include wide brushes and squeegees, allowing her to make a wide range of marks on the canvas, simultaneously applying paint and revealing colorful layers beneath. Working as small as 10x10 inches and as large as 6x4 feet, Sara’s goal is to create an atmospheric experience in each painting. Infusing each canvas with mystery and emotion is the challenge she is most inspired to pursue.
Sara is a native Californian and lives in Los Angeles.
