"Hum" 12" x 12" oil on canvas.

I had the pleasure of meeting McKenna a couple of months ago, as she is dating a dear dear friend of mine, Gabe. She is a very positive, and beautiful person both inside and out. I had the chance to talk and get to know her, while she agreed to be my model for me. As she was visiting us only for a couple of days, the painting is based on photo references. The painting is really about that quiet peace that she exudes, a barely percieved hum of contentment. I had changed the coloring of the walls from a warm to a cool, as I was enjoying the contrast of her warm skin, with the coolness in the walls and floor. I loved her awquard feet! Something so charming and to me added a little something differnt to such a simple pose. It reminded me of a young girl in many ways.

I had a blast starting this painting, while giving a live demo to the Paradaise Valley Art League. Such a wonderful and warm group of artists! It was such a pleasure to have been invited up there for the demo.

Life Cycles

"McKenna" - 7"x5" oil on canvas board- Sarah Hessinger


I am exploring what it is to be female thru my artwork. In some ways even when the work has nothing to do with me as the subject matter, it is autobiographical. I am moving more outward of myself recently, and have taken an interest in having other female models besides myself in my art work. The ideas of motherhood, the mysteries of it, as of yet unexperienced by me, are pulling me, and I have hopes to have the opportunity to paint a friend of mine in her late days of pregnancy. Being pregnant is something that scares me, but the actual birth process I know I would thrive in. These stages of the life cycle, and how we move thru our lives is such a beautiful and fully abundannt and fertile process. I have some very wise and dear artist friends, who reminds me gently how when they were in their early 30s the energy, and the scrambleing and differnt set of focus on career, and how their focus in their late 40s to 60s is more relaxed. I get the sense as I am figureing out even the pattern and flow of what it is to be a working artist, the flow and ebb of what they are talking about with the life cycle.

One artist that I admire extremely, is Heather Horton
Her work I found echoed what I was exploring alot in my own work. She has this beautiful way of space and silence talking quietly around her figures. If you get a chance to please check out her art work, I think you will find it beautiful and deep in meaning.