About Sarah Woods
Sarah
Woods grew up on the high plains of southern Wyoming. From a
family of outdoor enthusiasts she grew up hunting, fishing and
backpacking. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree
she began work as an art teacher. While spending time in the
galleries of Santa Fe and Jackson Hole the desire to paint full
time began to grow. It was Sarah's husband Randy who first encouraged
her to leave teaching and become a professional artist.
Sarah's first big break came
when she won a contest put on by Wildlife Art Magazine in 1986.
Shortly after she was chosen in the top 100 of the first Arts
for the Parks contest. During the following years Sarah would
be juried into Arts for the Parks many times even garnering
the Juror's Choice and Founder's Favorite Awards.During the late 80's and 90's
Sarah's career continued to grow, gathering many awards and
honors. At that time, Stephen Doherty of American Artist magazine
called her "one of the most promising young wildlife artists
in the country." As exciting as all that was though, the
biggest events during that time came with the birth of her two
daughters, Lauren in 1989 and Madeleine in 1997. Just after
Lauren's birth Sarah and Randy decided to move to the mountains
to a remote and unpopulated area of southern Colorado. They
felt like it was a great place to raise children and be a wildlife
artist. Everyday brings a new wildlife or wilderness experience,
a terrific existence for an artist who is in love with the west.
For
most of the last twenty years Sarah has built her career as
a watermedia artist. Two years ago Sarah took time to do something
she'd wanted to do for years - take an oil painting class. Sarah
says, "I love
the spontaneity it gives me. The richness and strength of the
pigment is perfect for my sense of color. I am thrilled to be
able to be really enjoying the benefits of living where I do
and painting in the field." Sarah feels she is the happiest
she has ever been during her career and it shows in her work.
Known for her dramatic lighting, painting in the field has helped
Sarah to better understand the color, light and atmosphere that
dominates her work.
Exhibitions,
Awards and Honors
Western Visions National Museum of WIldlife Art 1993-2007
Out of the Box, Paintbox Society Show, National Museum of Wildlife Art 2007
Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Show and Sale '95-'07
Masterworks in Miniature '95-'07
Wildlife Discovery, Salute to Summer and Fall Gold, Trailside Galleries 1987-2007
Art and the Animal Kingdom, Bennington Center for the Arts '01, '02, '05
Featured Artist- Grand Opening Celebration Bennington Center for the Arts
Art for the Sangres '97-'07
Representing the West, Sangre de Cristo Art Center '05
Cowgirl Up! Desert Caballeros Western Museum 2006
Nomadas Del Arte Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe 2008
Birds in Art '89, '98, '03 Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum
Wildlife: The Artist's View Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum
Arts for the Parks National Park Foundation '87-'89, '93, '95, '96, '06
Juror's Choice Award
Founder's Favorite Award
Colorado Duck Stamp '94
Conservation Prints- National Pheasants Forever, Colorado Ducks Unlimited,
Wyoming Wildlife Federation, National Park Foundation, Colorado State University,
University of Wyoming
One Person Show Gallery West '86-'07
Board of Directors, Mission:Wolf wolf sanctuary '93-'07
Publications
Magazines: Wildlife Art, Art of the West
Magazine Covers: Waterfowl USA, Whitetales
Books: Rocky Mountain Rabbit, Beneath the Mask, Art of the American West
