PRESQUE ISLE, Maine—Wintergreen Arts Center will feature the artwork of local artist Sarah Smith during the month of November. The opening reception of Sarah’s show will be held Friday evening, November 6, from 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm, during Presque Isle’s First Friday Art Walk. Live music will be provided by Janice Santos.
Sarah’s paintings and artwork are inspired by the natural world. She has always loved creating and experimenting with different mediums and forms of art. When she discovered oil painting it quickly became her favorite medium, and most of her paintings are currently in oils.
“My artwork reflects a lifelong love of animals and nature,” said Sarah. “My favorite subjects are animals and environments, as well as close-ups of fungi and other unusual subjects that catch my interest while hiking here in northern Maine. I paint both scenes I’ve seen personally, as well as imagined.”
With a degree in wildlife biology from the University of Maine at Machias, Sarah has a strong interest in the scientific side of the natural world. During her time at UMaine Machias, Sarah held an independent work study position articulating skeletons of animals for display. Alongside this display she created paintings of the animals as they would appear in life. This deepened her understanding of animal anatomy, which is important in her art.
“Sarah has a unique and rich style as an artist,” said Gretchen Violette, Wintergreen’s co-executive director. “We first became aware of Sarah and her artwork a couple of years ago when she received one of the first microgrants from the Aroostook Creative Network. The detail and appeal of her work is astounding.”
Sarah’s hobbies include hiking, photography, fishing, collecting rocks, fossils, and the occasional antique. She grew up in Patten and currently lives in Houlton with her husband and their pets. Visit Sarah’s website at sarahjsmithart.com.
About Wintergreen Arts Center: The Wintergreen Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006, and located in Presque Isle, Maine. Wintergreen is an organization based on the idea that creativity, advocacy, and community can produce great things. Our mission is stimulating creativity and curiosity through the arts in Aroostook County.