Studio Visit Interview: Sarah Thibault
As we approach the final day of "Coffee For Eight" we wanted to share a studio visit interview from a few weeks back with San Francisco based artist Sarah Thibault. Sarah showed me around Minnesota Street Project Studios where I got my first look at her new paintings for the group exhibition. She also shared some insight into her studio practices, the work in the show, and we even started to brainstorm ideas for her solo exhibition coming to pt.2 in April 2019 . Be sure to learn more about Sarah in the studio visit interview with Gallery Curator / Director Brock Brake below!
Do you have any studio rituals / practices you implement on a regular basis?
Not right now. I think I probably should, but the only one I can think of is to be caffeinated and have a good podcast or spotify playlist on.
Sarah Thibault - "Moon Music". Oil on Canvas. 24 x 18 Inches. 2018. info@part2gallery.com
How do you think your work reflects you as a person?
All painting is very autobiographical, you just have to learn how to read it. Even abstract works. For example, Philip Guston, right before he transitioned to his hooded figures was making a lot of flat, dark paintings that had a big mass in the center of the composition. I see it as a mental block. I believe that before a painter makes a breakthrough they will make works that have a very shallow picture plane. Or another example is when artists paint walls. I have done it and seen my friends do it- right before they make a big shift in their work and/or their lives. I think our brains naturally work in metaphors, especially visual ones as artists, so it makes sense that our paintings would manifest some of these subconscious experiences.
You are taking a bit more time this year to travel and spend time out of the studio. What do you hope this does for you as a creative?
I like something that Linda Geary says, which is that all time is studio time. Since I personally get inspiration from my surroundings a lot of time is looking around me and taking in the environment- either at home or out in the world. My paintings don’t take that long to make, so finding the right subject matter is a huge part of the job.
Sarah Thibault - "Sleeping (Under Moon)". Oil on Canvas. 24 x 18. 2018. info@part2gallery.com
What kind of connection do you hope the viewer makes with your work?
I hope the imagery that resonates with me reflects a something universal. One of my favorite comments about my work is that people feel ‘seen’ when they look at my paintings.