Sarah-Faith Strait

Artist Statement

During my time of study at Ohio Wesleyan University, my studio work has involved contemporary images of horses and figures in various kinds of interactions based on my observations at the Delaware County Fair, and other venues in Columbus, as well as at local horse farms to which I have had access. The horse fair is a cultural event that dates to antiquity and which many artists have engaged in. Aside from being a complex and engaging problem for painting, the county fair resonates as a symbol of my youth and adolescence, as well as a connection to where I live and my everyday surroundings. Lastly, it creates an important link between my life as an artist and that of my folk-artist grandparents who took inspiration from the carousel horse for their sculptures.
As a painter, regardless of the subject, my greatest priorities are expressive form, color, shape, rhythm, and texture. These elements play a crucial role in my decision making process for creating a compelling composition and image. Throughout this process, I am fascinated by the layering of paint and mark-making that naturally occurs on the journey to achieving a final result. Strong painting doesn’t depend primarily on what is depicted, but on how deeply the motif has been seen and realized through the unique means of painting.