Sarah McCoy
Disillusioned by the iPhone image, Sarah McCoy uses oil on canvas to recreate intimate moments in splashes of color.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Sarah. I'm a millennial government attorney. I help people without attorneys navigate the municipal court in my city - Columbus, Ohio. I'm 100% obsessed with cats, hoard anything related to music, and try to stay relatively sane (I mean, who isn't trying to stay sane at this point?). I married a little over a year ago, which is something I thought I'd NEVER do, and now I'm even considering kids. Love legitimately makes people stupid, but here I am. My best painting is one of my husband spread-eagle in our basement library, so I guess it's working. Anyone and everyone is welcome to try and slap some sense into me!
I love your work! You mentioned that you have only been painting since 2018. What drew you to pick up a brush? Were you coming from another art medium?
I used to practice piano every day, but a progressive connective tissue disease is destroying my joints and has left my hands very stiff and painful. I still play, but I've accepted the fact I won't be advancing my skills anymore when it comes to piano. I had some free time in 2018 as I was recovering from a nervous breakdown and took a job shipping and receiving at a local bike shop. I'd been getting into snapping self-portraits with my crappy old iphone and the thought popped into my head that I would prefer to recreate my photos in brighter colors. I got on YouTube, and the rest is history.
There is a domesticity, a haunting familiarity to the images. The subjects feel intimate to the viewer. Almost like they are paintings of my partner or roommates or friends.
You would be exactly right there! All of the subjects are very intimate to me. I'm completely estranged from my biological family, so I've built my own family of friends, animals, and loved ones. Everyone I've painted to this point, including myself, suffers from severe mental illness and/or self-esteem issues. I strive to make everyone feel beautiful. I'm severely sentimental to the point I collect my husband's hair and cats' discarded nails. I even have some of my best friend's baby teeth. I don't (or at least haven't yet) take commissions or sell my work. I just don't have any motivation to create art for someone else. I already work 40+ hours a week for others, so this is mine. When I part with my work, it will go to people who are truly moved by it rather than those who simply want to collect something cool for their walls. That being said, my work is literally piling up, so if you are in fact moved by it, let me know - I'm always interested in making a swap or sending my love off to others who feel it!
The texture, shading and colors remind me of the pop art of the 1960s in particular Leslie Kerr’s work. What draws you to this style?
I'm honestly not sure how I came up with my style. I've always demanded more out of the colors I see. I'm covered in loud tattoos and often wear the brightest clothes I can find, mixing everything I've heard should never be mixed. Most of my style resulted from defiance. I watched YouTube a lot at the beginning to make sure I didn't start a fire in my home (I paint with oils), but after a few weeks of trying to watch various videos on techniques and "rules," I just said fuck it. I don't follow anyone's rules, so I wasn't about to start here. I dry brush almost everything because I love muddy colors and blurry pastels. I use brushes not intended for oils, q-tips, trash canvas, paint in poor lighting and forgot about "fat-over-lean" about thirty seconds after I heard the term.
Sarah McCoy is an artist based in Columbus, Ohio. She is inspired by femininity, mental health, and her pets and loved ones.
Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Salmon
My sister made this for her husband and four children. They all loved it. I’d say that’s a win.
from Half Baked Harvest blog