Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Pascarell.
Hi Sara, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m from a small town in rural Pennsylvania and I have been making art for as long as I can remember. My mom is an artist too, so growing up she was always sharing that creative energy with me through different mediums like stained glass, painting, or sculpting.
I soon discovered my true passion for drawing and painting and attended the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. Quickly realizing that I was inspired by all kinds of art forms including ceramics, printmaking, and even videography; I declared General Fine Arts as my major. Figured I would get the best of it all!
After school, I moved to coast in North Carolina, fully ready for a change of scenery and some warmer weather. It was there that I fell in love with the ocean and my art has shown that ever since. I began painting waves, mesmerized by the different shades of blue and reflections of the sun in the moving water.
I signed up for my first art market in 2015 and was overwhelmed by the positive feedback I received. I started getting approached by local surf shops and boutiques to sell my paintings in stores and was thrilled to be making money from what I loved to do!
Success was happening! But I was in search of something more. So I sold all of my belongings except for my clothes and a few important mementos, packed up my car, and drove out to California. I had no real plans, no job set in place, and I didn’t know anybody living in the area. I just knew I wanted to explore what the west coast had to offer.
After spending five months living out of my car, working at a local coffee shop, and painting on the beach; I finally moved into a studio apartment where I could fully create again. It’s been four years since I’ve settled in San Diego and I’m now selling my paintings in local stores as well as online. The journey has been wild but I’m so happy it has landed me where I am today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely been a more of a rollercoaster than a road.
I think my biggest obstacle is finding that balance between what I want to create and what people want to buy. Sometimes that means painting the same sea turtle over and over again. Over the years, I’ve definitely found my groove of making designs that I know people love and setting aside time to try out new ideas.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, my work is focused on painting with acrylics, gouache, and watercolor mediums. The vast majority of the work I create is inspired by nature, varying from coastal landscapes to close ups of my favorite plants.
I enjoy creating on all kinds of surfaces including canvas and watercolor sheets, but my favorite is salvaged wood. The wood comes from pallets that I find, cut apart, sand down, and reconfigure into a beautiful new surface. Seascapes, palm trees, and sea turtles all come to life against the texture of the wood grain showing through.
Besides the canvas and pallet paintings themselves, you’ll also find framed prints of my work and prints on wood panels sold in the local shops and online.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I am my own worst critic.
There are times where I’m unsatisfied with a painting and it ends up being my best seller! As an artist, you have to realize that not everything you create is going to come out exactly how you imagined it, and that’s okay.
Contact Info:
- Email: sara.pascarell@gmail.com
- Website: https://sarapascarell.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sara_pascarell/
