Sarah Webb (painter)
Sarah Webb is an American painter closely associated with Contemporary Realism. She is best known for her realist portrayal of contemporary European society and figurative studies of the modern woman.
Early life and studies
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Webb began drawing and painting in her preteens and received her formal art training at the University of Tennessee, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors. Later she did post graduate work at Vanderbilt University.
1977 was the beginning of many trips to Europe where Webb studied art on an independent basis and attended various studio courses. In addition, she followed the centuries-old tradition of European students and was granted permission to copy works of the Old Masters at the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery in London, England.
Career
As a result of her European experiences and influences, Webb settled in London in 1983. There she witnessed first hand the post-Cold War return to prosperity and spent the next two decades capturing the emergence of modern European culture. Raised in the tradition of American realism, she was committed to applying academic painting techniques to modern-day subject matter. By combining a strong emphasis on composition with a mastery of light and color she effectively captured the heart and soul of the times with a recognizable style all her own.[1]
Following the September 11 attacks Webb decided she needed a new environment in which to create. In 2004 she temporarily closed her studio in London and relocated to Chicago, Illinois. This move resulted in an unexpected and unique series of Chicago sunsets, viewed from her studio on the 57th floor just off of Michigan Avenue, with the sun delicately balanced on the lights, shadows and colors of the city.[2]
By 2010, Webb had become intrigued and excited by the new vibrant artistic culture that was developing in her hometown of Nashville. At this point in her career her work began to take on a different direction focusing mainly on figurative studies of the modern woman.
Although Webb is best known for her works in oils, she is also an accomplished photographer. As opposed to the subjective media of painting, where an artist is in control of what they create, Webb's photography captures the raw images of her life's experiences.[3]
References
- ↑ Chappell, Susan. "London Flight: Nashville Artist Sarah Webb breaks ground in Britain," The Nashville Banner, March 18, 1994.
- ↑ Houghland, Gloria, "Sarah Webb:Capturing the Spirit of the Times," Sophisticated Living Magazine (Nashville) May/June 2015, p.113.
- ↑ Webb, Gary A. "Collecting Fine Art Photography,", Sophisticated Living (Nashville), July/August 2016, p.100.
Additional References
- Bostic, Alan. "Get Real: Webb paints it like it is," The Tennessean, September 12, 1999.
- Hieronymus, Clara."Oh, How She Loves Paris," The Sunday Tennessean, June 7, 1987.
- McNeilly, Caroline. "Artist Style Drawn From Masters," The Nashville Banner, March 12, 1981.
- Sarah Webb Works to show in London," The Tennessean, May 17, 1989.
- Who's Who in American Art.
- Who's Who in Art (United Kingdom).