Sarah O' Brien: Painting, Time and the Studio.

Episode 1, Series II 

“The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is – it’s to imagine what is possible."                                                                                                                          bell hooks 

Artist Sarah O' Brien's rural studio is in Kinsale, Co Cork, nor far from where she lives and works. The studio is as much a part of her art as the work itself. Located in an idyllic setting, her workspace offers an elemental connection to the creative process. O'Brien describes it as a sanctuary from a busy life at her families OHK Cafe Kinsale. 

Motherhood  has also served as a significant turning point, reshaping her identity and connecting her more deeply with her practice. She openly discusses the transformation in her approach, embracing the vulnerability of bringing works from the secluded studio to public view.

To learn more about Sarah O'Brien and her work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram. Listen to discover and engage with the dynamism of her creations, a testament to the indefinable and infinite possibilities inherent in the artistic journey.

Sarah O'Brien is interviewed by Sarah Searson, Curator. The podcast was recorded in Monkstown Co Dublin and was produced recorded and edited by Sarah Searson. 

Links: 

Series Webpage 

Artists as Cultural Leaders Instagram 

Sarah O'Briens Website

Sarah O'Briens Instagram

Transcript

Introduction and Greetings

0:01

Hello and welcome to Artist Cultural Leaders. This is a second in series of podcasts, the first of which were supported by ros, common County Council and Creative Ireland. This time we're meeting artists working all over Ireland. I'm delighted to welcome Sarah O'Brien, a visual artist whose practice explores the intersection between painting healing and material transformation. We've had a great conversation looking at the deep rooted engagement she has with the physical act of painting. How she draws on concepts of mending remedy and the alchem nature of materials themselves. Her canvases are assembled from materials that were manipulated and layered with, a kind of abstraction that feels both accidental and intentional. the Works vibrate with an energetic imprint echoing the idea that painting can be experienced as a near physical trace of the absent author sarah's most recent work was exhibited at Limerick City Gallery of Art in Spring 2025. In an exhibition we worked together on Title Bo featuring the artists, Richard Profit, Stephanie Didi and Fiona Murray. Thank you so much to Sarah for traveling from Gire to meet with me it's been an absolute pleasure to speak with her.

Sarah 1 1:19

Sarah, thanks for joining me.

Reconnecting in Limerick

Sarah 2 1:21

Thank you, Sarah, for inviting me. The last time we met was in Limerick. Yes. Great show, great opportunity and, really excellent space there. I think that's the nice thing that happens when you are, working in this world is you can all of a sudden just meet somebody that you kind of chime well with.

Sarah's Idyllic Studio

Sarah 1 1:37

I was so delighted that you were part of it I was like, oh, I have to make my way down to meet you. Luckily you were available the next day and you brought me out to see your beautiful studio, which is kind of idyllic. I wonder, would you describe it?

The Physicality of Painting

Sarah 2 1:50

it's in a field,, I rent from philanthropic farmers who have let that particular old, agricultural shed for 20 years. It is essentially, a well insulated roof on a shed, in a field The tap is outside. It absolutely serves a purpose. In my studio space, I'm not a lounger. I don't, sit often. I've been there for five years and I'm surprised saying that because it is one of the longest consistent studios that I've had. It's economy of time, where I don't actually have enough time to go to a studio. And so when I go, it's not even a discipline, but I'm just at work. My work is, driven by me on the move in my body. In the studio.

Sarah 1 2:46

It's so apparent in the paintings and the scale and things like the recurrence of the circle within the center of the work is a motif the scale of the works and the marks that you make are really big gestural, very clearly driven by the span of the body, the arc of the arm, the relation of the body to the canvas, and even some ways how you've dismantled canvases and played with them. It's almost like you're playing with skin or layering up some protective barrier or unfolding something or peeling something. that bodily thing to me a Sarah O'Brien,

The Emotional Journey of Art

Time and Studio Practice

Artistic Process and Materials

Sarah 2 3:23

Thanks so much. and I think it's taken me a while to realize that there is such a thing as authentic, embodied paintings made, through a process of physical investigation. coming from, trained academic contexts, it's important to consider the work and where it posits itself in contemporary and history of art and there is necessary, contextualizing More and more I realize there's equally, a huge amount of work that is of great value about, working with the imprint of the body And, I'm really into things that are like fixers, so it's almost like I am in the kind of hospital, of the studio breaking it down to build it back up again. That's a very powerful process to be engaged in because it's almost like confronting, the difficulties of life some people are more conscious, of that happening to them in their lives than others. But it is often a case of, rising with. Grace in discomfort and getting through things, and it can be very, ugly and uncomfortable. But, I've realized recently that that's what the studio is. And that is important and that is what I do. I think one of the overriding, feelings I get with the studio is the time element. currently I go to the studio. Possibly two days per week. and when I say day, I mean, maximum five hours. I'm not living a life where the studio is the central part of my life and day. So if those 10 hours per week are taken from me, I find that I'll become really, ungrounded and I can't find reflection I need of myself, anywhere else but the studio. So I'll go to the studio and see whatever condition I left it in. 10 days before, and be a hard for me. But the work to get into is almost polish, coal or It's something to get really invested in. And I feel like that is great. the byproduct of that is, the paintings I make, which can vary in how literal they are or abstract they are. I noticed that you do a lot of reconstruction and covering and you are really quite free. And I suppose your canvas or the grounds that you work into, you don't have reverence for them. to me it seems like you love to rip with them. Destroy them, and layer them. Is there something in the coming and going, the choppiness of it that kind of gives you A bit of a power with them? Absolutely. I would say definitely there is that element because time markers. they're products of time. I can present this depending on how I speak about myself, which is your relationship with yourself. I could say to you, I rework canvases. because I'm, too broke, too lazy, too, uncommitted to a painting to actually finish it. So that's the shadow version story, I'm leaning towards being kinder to that self, and thinking, actually no, you work with these because there's an energy that I know by looking at a painting, if it's done or nearly done, They're very rarely done in my mind. work with something again and again, and they'll, become variations of the same. I've overcome that by getting stretchers made that are the same scale and maybe having three or four at a time on the go, just so I can give them some chance to, survive. I very rarely start and finish a painting. I do not have a plan for a painting and I speak with, good friends who are painters and I love hearing the difference of, approach and knowing that goes embedded in one's practice over time. a friend said recently that she knows very early if the painting isn't work. that vision is abandoned. I would say with me it's more like a quest and a lot of the time it doesn't result in something that feel is me. Often it's about the texture of something, I've become recently really obsessed with zinc, like zinc white, the fact that it's like pseudo cream and has this super white whiteness. I'm also really into Tip X or corrector fluid, something that's so synthetically white the correction fluid because I've realized there is correction fluid, which is good quality as the Tip X, I've tried to start to work a bit with it. something about covering fixing, bonding that's like, I don't know, it kind of calms the madness a little bit. So that's just where I'm at at the moment.

Sarah 1 8:49

kind of mark

Sarah 2 8:49

out

Sarah 1 8:50

There's a lot of masking out as well. The masking out allows you to discover elements that are hiding and revealing And that's quite exciting. I love that bit.

Sarah 2 9:01

think when you do it, because it happens very much in my work that my daughter Tilda drawings will come into the work or I'll be inspired by something that she's reading. you know, recently she brought home, and I have to say, this is the actual. beginning of the Tip X infatuation she brought this card home, like a little playing card that some person in her class had just cannily. I think it's corrective fluid, but maybe it was white paint, but it looks to me like tip X and then they've a black marker and it's this whole picture. And I am literally working on that at the moment in my studio. I'm trying to get the energy of that broken white corrector fluid. I won't do it in the way a painter would it, I'm just trying to get the energy of the tip X and the marker on a larger scale, absolutely. it's like history a little bit. I remember learning that word in my early twenties, friend and I'll never forget her saying it. Palest? Yeah, palest. I feel like lofty words like that and kind of factual, I'm really into words. That wouldn't be a word that I would use and think, oh, that's like my paintings. But It did resonate with me then, and it still resonates with me now. So I feel that word has to come in there's something about that obliteration of, code in a way, or like layering, layering is not enough in itself either. effects of time, impact of movement, and the vibration left after that, which is a fact to me. I don't know if every human, feels that you walk into a room and you feel things. you meet a painting, or another handmade, object with energy inside it. I do feel that, and the things that interrupted are things like, varnishes and glazes

Sarah 1 10:56

Yeah. One of the paintings that we showed in Limerick, you'd used quite a lot of glitter, but when I met you in the studio, you were finding these great, aerosol paints. evenly. you were finding that with the nozzles? when they're overused, the paint doesn't come through at the same pressurized level as a fresh can. And it was the older cans that were attracting. the marks were uncontrollable. And, there's something about the energy because it's used up

Sarah 2 11:21

that's perfect that you brought that up because there was something in that I guess I am also learning as I'm working about what is that thing that gives you great, joy, why is it that the nozzle sprays in different directions it when aerosol spray cans break, they're frustratingly irretrievable. the ink is just sitting in there, and that's it. I can't fix it. I have learned a few techniques about how to spray it and keep it in good nick, but I'm not a very fastidious practitioner. my studio, you were in and I am quite an organized human and organization is important to me in my life. But again, this is what the studio allows me that space to be. And I'm really lucky. I think people like me are super lucky to have that, opportunity to go into a space and consider what it is. it is quite close to play. It is, important work for your inner child. it's really helpful on the body to just mess around in the studio and examine, I guess. Then I've got the other, aspects of being, you go to art college and do your masters'cause you think it's all in a straight line I'm, not presuming anything would come of the art career. that's the cliche I never doubted that I wouldn't continue my work, but my idea of what it offers my life is quite different. I now appreciate it for offering me that space. I happen to go to art college and I happen to spend a lot of time, expecting something different it for me. Like maybe, you know, will never not be interested in bringing the work outta the studio. That is something really important as well. And it is something about the work, having communicative, Element or some part of me that like to exchange beyond me and it.

Exhibitions and Artistic Growth

Sarah 1 13:24

Talking the work as it comes out into the world and then what people bring to it. as you said, it has the energy and the activation of all those things you've brought to it, and then it's for others to encounter. I also know that, you've had a lot of very successful shows. The exhibitions you've had, people have loved them and really enjoyed your work. And I never got to see the show in the complex, but I've certainly heard it talked about

Impact of Motherhood on Art

Artistic Inspirations and Early Years

Sarah 2 13:50

Absolutely. in my life and in my practice, there is a before and an after the defining moment of my career was, becoming a mother to Tilda in 2014. And it's not sentimental for me, it was a break in my sense of my own identity. this has already come up in this conversation. I believed that making art, I did my master's pretty early after I graduated from, Crawford in Cork in 2003, and then did, the MA in painting in NCAD between 2005 and 2007. I was very urgent about this straight line direction thing. Like, you do this, you do that, you hopefully,, get your workout. But my noggin wasn't screwed on, I wasn't very grounded myself. I never didn't have a studio no matter how wonky it all was, I always had a practice, but I just didn't really connect with my practice. I think I was always naturally working with paint. I tried, with terrible outcomes in my, masters, which I suppose is when you're supposed to break it down and build it back up again. But it was bad. I did some bad work at the end of the first year and into the second year. I didn't have my voice, the confidence to stay in that particular language that I was, strong at going into it. that's what the programs are to do really is to, look at it and break it down. I left there with a good sense of scale, that whatever people were engaging with, I wanted them to be engaging with, a space more than an object. I had issue with, the painting as a thing that could be, transactional and moved from A to B that had a knock on effect with it being something that could be easily moved. So I was doing, Wall drawings, and extending. There was a lot of graphite, and watercolor actually was what I was using. I had a show at Palace, early after my ma and some other, opportunities I just feel like I wasn't engaged enough with my own voice or my own language at the time. but again, just kept making work. And then I had my daughter I remember very early on, within that six months, just being like, oh, who are you? that's what you are. it wasn't that real that I would say that to myself, but I just knew that that was. That was the embodiment of painting, it kind of dropped in then. I started to make work in a very remote space. I hadn't been in Dublin for a while and I hadn't been in touch really. And it was, you know, 20 14, 15, people sharing their work online was becoming, a way of doing things that was really handy if you were out of the center. And it actually created an exchange, that hadn't ever been there. it wasn't like it was just connecting you with people that you were physically distant from. It was a whole new, dialogue, a whole new exchange. And Berlin Opticians, Martia, gave me an opportunity to work with them for some years and that was really great to be seen being so remote but actually really working. You know, wasn't even expecting that to happen, but people were, seeing work again, I was showing work, but not in a gallery context. I was sharing my studio work and working very hard because I enjoying it so much. to bring it then from these, that was a different studio I would've been working in then, but actually quite similar, very rural location. to bring these works there's a kind of rawness to them back in those days I felt vulnerable about them coming from the studio into the shared space, the live shared space. there is always that element of vulnerability The inside to the outside. it's time that gives you the confidence to stand in it and, realize that this is true earnest, authentic work My energy is in it. before the Berlin opticians Mark Gorman working on another project called Stream Project 2016, invited me to a show in Limerick, at the sailor's house. they were doing interesting, one-off events and exhibitions, impressed with I was flattered they'd seen my work, it with their curatorial, ideas, And then, so that was a great opportunity. and I kept the conversation going with Mark. who is a great friend, but also has great insight. I like the direction he takes with the project. So the project at Complex, like a lot of what Mark does is he brings people together and goes, okay, well I'll manage this, but how are we doing? What's going on? it was a four-way conversation Fergus Feely, Glen Fitzgerald Tanned Aaron, and myself, in the space. the paintings I was making, with that space in mind for quite a while because COVID had happened interesting to think back about the mindset within the studio during COVID. it's a dream. all the time in the world to be in the studio. no other work. there's still the parenting, but everything else had stopped. there was something about that time where there was a sadness the studio it hopeless that these works were being made with less possibility of them getting out of those spaces. So I'm wondering how embedded it is from the very beginning of a work that it journeying beyond the studio, When I reflect on that sadness in the studio, it was a tangible, element that one knew was missing that for the foreseeable, these are going nowhere, and anything you're making is going nowhere.

Sarah 1 19:57

When you sent me your artist statements, I was really fascinated it's beautifully written, but also some of your interests, like the phenomenon of the body The psychology of engaging with work the intention of work and, that shadow energy you've spoken about. I was interested in the fact that you're quite interested in, planetary movements and, astrology. a lot of that is also a play

Sarah 2 20:25

I think that also shoots back into my early journey with the direction of my art practice., that goes back to childhood. Stars and the awe of the skies, there's nearly no language for it. I always remember things like, the comets that would, come by so definitely from childhood I've had an interest in stars. as my art practice went on, at N-C-A-D-I, I got the, RHA Thomas Damon Travel, fund, award to go to. An observatory in Arizona. I was just finished the first year of the ma and went that September of the second year to, visit this observatory was looking a lot romantic painters, Turner and, the fabulous. German, Friedrich Friedrich, yes. and stellar plumes and, the tech that emerged in the fifties and sixties, for, taking images of, supernova and, you know, led Zeppelin's the cover of a Led Zeppelin album and, you know, lots of things that were just, there was a lot of synchronicity that was happening that I was really into at the time. And I was like, yeah, I'll go to an observatory.. But it was I would say a kind of Pseudo academic interest. I love Turner and the watercolors and Friedrich's grandeur and I love landscapes, so I love stars, but I love landscapes as well. So, I was aligning with these romantics and then, materially bringing things like computer ink that was, a printer ink and graphite and, linseed oil on paper. I was making these translucent, wall drawings and they were all of stars and planets, but they were kind of made you know? They were, ink stars, watercolor planets. I was doing my own kind of galactic, drawings based on nothing but love For those shapes and forms. more recently, as a kind of language, I found, astrology as like a really beautiful, language to use, to inspire me it's a language of circles and spheres really Open for interpretation.

Sarah 1 22:47

I'd love to talk if you feel comfortable, about your early years. They are the formation years. When you become an observer notice things that others don't, you learn to give yourself permission to understand the realm of imagination as one of the most wonderful things we have as humans. is there something at play at the moment where we're really conscious that fear is shutting down or being, colonized in a way?

Sarah 2 23:17

I was certainly super sensitive to, spaces and people and very observant, I don't think I loved being a kid getting into space where my ideas would be Listened to was definitely better. I found drawing was something I, loved to do and, and very quickly, got that in school where you're the person who draws, you know? Which I think is really, um, yeah, just think sometimes it can almost kind of turn you against it because you know yourself, it's really not all of it anyway.

Sarah 1 23:56

I think sometimes as an artist, things that come easy. When you're young you don't particularly value. Like if it's super easy. You're kind of going, oh, well there must be. it needs to be more difficult.

Sarah 2 24:05

Absolutely. I work now, with groups, in an education dimension to my practice, which I've also had for a long time. working with people getting back into, mindful drawing and drawing from, within the body and marking on the page. my aunt was an artist. She was a painter and that was the background we came from. My grandmother ran a pub and, it was unusual that she had managed to go to art college and so that was a stalwart, for me. And then, as it goes back again in the other generation, my grand aunt was also a very keen painter who was a nun. she continued to paint. Was supported and seen. But I do feel that, I was pretty young doing my leaving c I just turned 17 and because art wasn't hugely valued in school and it wasn't, like, wasn't keenly encouraged at home as a first idea for the first child of the, you know I went to UCC for a year, because I was interested in, history and other things as well. So I did a first arts degree. I did first, the first year of a, of a, of an arts degree. I didn't do the degree, I think I got some kind of psychosomatic illness from going there. my skin was itching and I was convinced it was, from the place. mom said just passed that year, try the art. I did, I, passed the year and a PLC course at Stefon nefa. I learned so much. I remember seeing the Crawford Art College for the first time when I was going up to UCC genuinely, it was like love at first sight. I fell in love with the building. I had never seen it, you know, I, I dunno, it's like I wouldn't have been hanging around the city that much up to that point. If I went shopping with my mom and sisters, it would've been to a merchant's key. I really genuinely had not even seen the building and I saw the building and I was like, I wanna go there. That is my dream, you know? I feel like when I went to art college, I really met my kin, my people, my friends and that was a very holistic awakening. it also brought lots of other things. I enjoyed my life and self in a way that, loads of people who go to art college do. it was an experiential thing. they were great days as well. It was 19 9, Ireland was just peaking, The, fluency of cash and I always worked in college as well, in restaurants we'd be getting one wage then you get your tips and a service charge. it was so much money. It was a palpable thing in the country. I don't know that I love money, but there was a buoyancy about that time. it was, millennium and, there was that whole Y 2K thing I remember at the time, I used to go out with a guy who was, bringing computer systems to, big business. It was that time. feel like that was such a special Rubicon, to be, crossing collectively, you know?

Sarah 1 27:19

Cork is a bit of a magical city. it's small, got its little village areas, but it's also, I think at that time probably had an amazing bit, like Dublin at that time. Extraordinary energy, particularly in music and theater and performance. Absolutely. Loads of really interesting people around

Sarah 2 27:35

Kirk Durer were doing all of their fantastic things and Andy Walsh, had been after I arrived to Cork a bit after the disco pigs moment, but seeing Andy Walsh's plays at the Granary, you know, it was a very optimistic time. Cork did have a good energy there. creative, energy seemed to be spilling, everywhere. sir Henry's was still going. Everything was available, and there newer place opening up that newer, face of Ireland whole new style of cool sophisticated places to be amazing bars, the little pubs were kind of changing all of that, socializing. 2005 and we were. Me and, some friends were involved in a collective. named Villa Kay. we worked, with, the Cork Caucus, which was a kind of grassroots, aspect of the, city of culture beautifully, brought together, at the time. it was incredible. The people brought in, By sculpture factory. it was a really optimistic time. we had an artist led space, switch spaces that could become exhibition spaces, gallery spaces, gig venues, and studios it was very exciting.

Future Directions and Art Therapy

Sarah 1 28:53

It was an era where a lot was up for grabs and maybe a less regulated environment. People were more open. The creative sector was,, burgeoning and full of energy. There seemed to be so much support,, even at that business level, places where you wouldn't have. Expected to find support were opening their doors. I'm really interested to talk about now as well, your future interests what's alerting you? What's going off on the circuit board of life?

Sarah 2 29:20

I am trying to navigate, my way in the world as somebody who makes art and images and, wants to continue do that. very involved. I have a Spirit of, trying to ignite things. I think I'm a pretty good ignition person eight years ago I started a cafe, which, is a very creative, enterprise It's a really full on, business that offered space for an output space for, a creative, practitioner. I have a lot of friends who have this kind of over spill between, art and, Other entrepreneurial, ventures often food or such. at the time, it was more a question of how do we make this, family, pub that was no longer a pub, I opened the cafe with my sister back in 2017, which is, eight years ago in August. And so I feel like I have to bring that, to here now because this is where I am considering everything from, it's been my economic back in a way. but I guess realizing as well, when. Something is not for you anymore when you've reached your limit or your full potential in a certain space. I certainly knew that. the nuts and bolts and the visioning required of running an actual business is something that I'm, not good at and not interested in. They both feed one another I'm not good at it or I'm not interested. a frustration as well. this makes me realize the importance of the art practice and the actual role it has In my general wellbeing when you are taken from it for longer than two weeks I said earlier, it would be no longer than that. But sometimes, it's hard to get in there anyway, but when something is really impeding it or it's being judged, or there isn't space for it, I had to look at how to get back towards there because I know that having a life where I am less and less regular with my studio isn't the root for me. now I am, considering, Learning more about that connection between, mind, body, and art making. naturally and truly, I am arriving at the place of interest in art therapy as a way of, exploring and using my voice for myself and potentially, with others. the value of art as a therapeutic modality and art as a transformative, transformative,, modality that it can offer so much to an individual. if you had mentioned this to me possibly even three years ago. I would've probably said, no, I don't think so, but I feel like I've really arrived at this area of interest, that I feel continue to feed my practice the deeper I go. Go into it.

Sarah 1 32:26

do you allow yourself quite a lot of freedom? or is it instinctive the rolling and changing you roll out, something which some people would find incredibly onerous, like a new business in a cafe and getting that up and Drive are there to start it. You've rolled it out, as you said, you're a really good initiator. maybe the artist's practice or mindset that you know when to roll it up as well. it's a constant wave.

Sarah 2 32:49

Yeah.

Sarah 1 32:50

You understand. there's an ebb and a flow. There's the genesis of something. It needs to end, it goes forward. what I'm trying to get at is in a more conventional life or construct for careers, they don't allow themselves that freedom. there's something around that energy I'm interested in for this podcast, which is about artists being good at a particular type of leadership.

Influences and Inspirations

Sarah 2 33:10

Yeah. I think really interesting that's something you feel because the perception of artists and art making gives the full picture of what's actually going on, there's some sense that, it's, a light life. and I said it earlier, it's been important to maintain some access to play, to shake off whatever else I, may carry during the day. I feel very grateful that I have that, part of my life, and that now after all the years of, studying art, having a studio, making work, it has a value. It has a great value. it may not be, as valuable, in terms of economy. it's important to me. how do I shape shift? How do I navigate my way in the world? and make sure that I have what I need in terms of, material, necessity, but also maintain. The authentic connection to my practice. my wellbeing is wrapped up in my studio. there is, so much potential in people who are, in a point of difficulty to allow themselves that container of time and space to try that, process even though I've had some really difficult times in this recent transformation, detaching from what on the outside looks fantastic. that Built, alongside family I'm, pretty much gasping and feeling very disempowered in myself. You know, it makes no sense to me. I feel lucky that I have this background I realized that this is what the art making has been for me there's also, ego attachment I am very keen on my work being more than some kind art therapeutic kind of project I have drive for my work, ups and downs that we can encounter and that actually life is,, more of a circle with these moments of time that will return again and leave again. And there's these junctures that are difficult that if we can navigate through them using whatever tools and reflections and new ways of looking, new ways of exchanging, new ways of talking to ourselves. Because that's what it is. such a blessed, scenario to be an artist I really realize that's what the gift of it is, it offers this space to, exchange with yourself a lot. And, for me there's an element of working it, in terms of the body, and I just get to be an absolute punk or a queen or whatever I wanna be for a second. it's really helpful. work with people on art projects in various contexts. I see, the relief and the stress. it is a journey. if you can remind yourself get over that, and let it be. there's so much, strength that comes from letting something Be as it is, So maybe sometimes the paintings I make are products of just being,

Sarah 1 36:21

I could ask you a little bit about other painters musicians writing what are the constellations, to use the star analogy that kind of light up for you in what you see in others? What twinkles you?

Sarah 2 36:34

Yeah, Twinkles I am, a big fan of some painters. I really am. Chris Martin, I love, he literally sparkles. really love the scale. the tone, the drama, I remember seeing his work in the Douglas Hyde, probably 15 years ago, and being absolutely shocked and revolted. his bread paintings were there. I very,, moved. I look back on that person that I was, I wasn't there to meet those paintings right then, I'm a fan of his work. Great painters making work, like, Catherine Bernhardt, Kathy Bradford. there's some fantastic female painters that I, follow online, brave, expansive energetic paintings jar with the, notion of, middle aged feminine. I like it when paintings can be quite. Surprising, you know, and wow. obviously Rose Wiley and her incredible work. I love, mark Swords, Kathy Tynan, fantastic, mark Swords love his work, love his collage work. I think there's a playfulness there I find seeing work that I don't make so fascinating. People who can really work with creating, a palette that just brings me somewhere, I'm bowed by it. And these vignettes that are just so kooky Close and bizarre a major fan Of people's work, but I'm also a major fan of what you just catch in the side of your eye and the thing that just fell out of the bag, I can't throw pieces of paper away. I can't throw bits of writing away. I have to keep them, because I feel like can see the energy in them,

Sarah 1 38:36

it's just beautiful findings.

Conclusion and Farewell

Sarah 2 38:38

Absolutely.

Sarah 1 38:39

Thank you so much, Sarah, It's been an absolute pleasure. Do you have a website?

Sarah 2 38:43

I have the website's, Sarah O'Brien, the Instagram is Sarah obrien, B-R-I-E-N. Um. Think that's, yeah. It's Sarah O'Brien. Yeah. Oh, well it's been, yeah, painter. I think if you put in Sarah O'Brien painter, it pops up

Sarah 1 39:04

Thank you so much. thank you, Sarah. You've been so generous I'm a huge fan thank you so much