Paintings + Process
I paint expressive geometric abstracts in oil and acrylic, using bold color and thoughtful composition to evoke a sense of spaciousness, light, and movement. With a background in architecture and design, I bring a structural sensibility to an intuitive, improvisational process. Each painting begins with loose, spontaneous marks and evolves through layers of response and refinement. I aim to preserve the freshness of early gestures while allowing the painting to lead me toward a composition that feels balanced and resolved, yet open to interpretation.
I am interested in the way my painting process parallels my life of faith. Both involve finding my way as I go - taking steps without knowing where they will lead, letting things unfold, and having the trust and curiosity of a child. I experience a humility and even wonder in not knowing, being surprised and delighted by unexpected outcomes, knowing I can only really be open, free and available when I'm not following a plan. The best work happens when I don’t try to control it, but allow myself to be a vehicle for the expression.
Bio
Sara Fernandez grew up in California, studied architecture and art in San Luis Obispo, California and Copenhagen, Denmark. After graduating, she traveled the world for 3 years with her husband Vince (throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe), doing lots of sketching of streets, buildings and cities along the way, and working as architects in Singapore and Jerusalem. After returning to the States, they raised their 3 kids in the Pacific Northwest of USA and Canada, where Sara worked as an architectural illustrator in watercolor. This eventually became a stepping stone back to art, and as empty nesters now living in Chicago, Sara paints abstractly in acrylic and oil, always with a loose reference to the natural and urban landscape, an eye for design, and a joy of expression through paint.
CV
Education
1993 College of Architecture & Environmental Design, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo (B Arch)
1993 Department of Art & Design, College of Liberal Arts (Art Minor)
1993 Department of Music, College of Liberal Arts (Music Minor)
1991 Architecture & Design, Denmark International Studies, Copenhagen, Denmark
Mentorship/Teaching
1993-1994 Studio Teacher/ Mentor at the Architecture Summer Program at Cal Poly SLO
Art Workshops Completed
2016 - 2018 - Watercolour Workshops with Alvaro Castagnet, Thomas Schaller, Herman Pekel, Bjørn Bergstrom, and Jeanne Haines
2021 - Seattle Artist League, Painting courses, most notably with Fran O’Neill
2022 & 2024 Creative Visionary Program (CVP) with Nicholas Wilton of Art2Life
