Sarah Wieben
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BIO
Through my college studies of Russian history and culture and from my time living there, I became enamored with Russian icons. More than their beauty, I became fascinated by the way they are meant to work. If a believer stands or kneels before an icon of Mary, for example, and prays fervently, the faithful believe that a miracle happens and one is no longer standing before an image of Mary, but are in the presence of Mary. It’s a metaphysical transference of experience.
Now, I’m not really expecting something miraculous to happen when a person views my paintings, but I do genuinely hope for a similar kind of transference of experience from me to you. If I’ve been inspired by an element of the natural world, for example a cold winter's day, I’m hoping you feel the cold of the air and the wind on your face.
Artist Statement
Through my college studies of Russian history and culture and from my time living there, I became enamored with Russian icons. More than their beauty, I became fascinated by the way they are meant to work. If a believer stands or kneels before an icon of Mary, for example, and prays fervently, the faithful believe that a miracle happens and one is no longer standing before an image of Mary, but are in the presence of Mary. It’s a metaphysical transference of experience.Now, I’m not really expecting something miraculous to happen when a person views my paintings, but I do genuinely hope for a similar kind of transference of experience from me to you. If I’ve been inspired by an element of the natural world, for example a cold winter's day, I’m hoping you feel the cold of the air and the wind on your face.
Little About Sarah
What’s something people don’t know about you, or would be surprised to learn about you?
Not everyone knows that I had a whole other career (high school history teacher) before I became an artist.
What song/album/artist is currently on repeat in your studio?
I have extremely varied taste in music, but right now I’m listening to a lot of Rage Against the Machine. Bulls on Parade. Seems apt.
When is your favorite time to create?
Mid-afternoon.
What is your guilty pleasure tv show or movie?
Old Seinfeld episodes.
What is an unusual skill you have outside of art?
I speak Russian.
If you weren’t an artist, what would you love to be doing?
Writer
What’s your biggest artistic obsession right now?
El Anatsui. He is an astonishing Ghanaian artist who makes breathtaking sculptures
out of bottle caps, and bits of metal debris.
What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve used in an artwork?
Vintage sewing patterns.
What was your first creative memory, or a specific artistic moment that made you realize,“I really want to do this?”
I saw a Matisse exhibit at the National Gallery in Moscow in my 20s and it planted a seed in me.
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I’m a native Minnesota. I grew up in Wayzata.
Who are your artistic influences or mentors?
Willem, de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Philip Guston, Frank Auerbach, Lee Krasner, just to name a few.
If your art had a personality, how would you describe it?
Unafraid.
How would you describe your style to someone unfamiliar with your work?
Bold, expressive brushstrokes, and strong color.
What color do you use most, and why?
I love all versions of pink. I want to rehabilitate its reputation from notions of being saccharin or whimsical.
