current exhibition AT THE GALLERY AT STILL RIVER EDITIONS
first ladies:
Paintings by Tina Sarno
April 8-June 28, 2024
Free and open to the public
opening reception on saturday, april 20th 2 pm - 4 pm
Eleanor Roosevelt © Tina Sarno
First Ladies is an exhibition of oil paintings by Tina Sarno of Silvermine, Connecticut. Sarno began painting the series in 2018 at the suggestion of a friend, and she has painted over thirty-five to this date.
When painting, Sarno seeks out historical portraits and biographical details for inspiration, revealing things that may not come out in a formal portrait. For example, one of her most recent works shows Grace Coolidge with her pet raccoon, Rebecca.
Sarno says of this body of work, “My oil portraits are my impression of paintings from the past, painted from history instead of being painted from life.” Occasionally someone will look for a flattering likeness in a portrait and Sarno says, “People are smart, I think it’s important to challenge them and ask them to use their brains.”
Tina cites among her influences Alice Neel, Florine Stettheimer, Gustav Klimt, and John Singer Sargent. Regarding Neel, Sarno says, “Her portraits were painted in a manner that makes the viewer question who these people are without being forced to find them to be especially important, as in culturally historical figures.”
Some of the paintings are black and white, while others are in vivid color. A number of the paintings in this exhibition were created at Zero Foot Hills artist residency in Durham, CT in the summer of 2023.
ARTIST STATEMENT
This portrait series, First Ladies, is something that I have had in mind to create since the winter of 2018, and currently I have painted over thirty-five of them. It is a theme throughout art history to re-interpret what the masters have done, so it is my homage to official portrait painting, adding depth of character by looking beyond the surface. I am interested in the idea of knowing or defining a person through the process of painting their portrait. I find the First Ladies a particularly fascinating subject matter to focus on, especially since they are thought to represent the culture of their time and place. Rather than creating a glamorous image, I paint them in a way that people can relate to them and figure out for themselves their history, and be curious to find out more information about them.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Tina Sarno is a contemporary painter and mixed-media artist based in Silvermine, Connecticut best known for her expressionistic series of oil paintings of the First Ladies of the United States. She is also known for visionary paintings of monsters, and highly imaginative pet portraits.
Sarno is a graduate of Parsons School of Design where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography. She also studied large-scale expressionist painting and printmaking. While living in New York, she was a student of painter Peter Cuni-Bravo. After graduation, Tina moved back to Connecticut to paint full-time.
Ever committed to finding the perfect tool, material or technique for each painting, Tina constantly explores new and authentic modes of expression. Sarno is also a multi-disciplinary textile artist, as well as a children’s arts educator with a focus on re-use. Sarno also creates zines and has exhibited them along with her hand-painted textiles at RISD UNBOUND the Rhode Island School of Design art book fair.
Select exhibitions include Miami Art Basel (Miami, FL), The Carriage Barn (New Canaan, CT), The Institute Library Gallery (New Haven, CT), Easton Arts Council (Easton, CT), as well as Patrick Mele Antiques, Black Rock Artists Guild, and the NEST Artspace (all in Bridgeport, CT). A mural painting of Sarno’s is permanently on view at The Cell Theatre in New York City.
ABOUT THE GALLERY AT STILL RIVER EDITIONS
The Gallery at Still River Editions has hosted national and regional photographers and artists since 1989. In spring 2011, after a brief hiatus from exhibiting new work, the gallery returned to hosting up to four exhibitions a year. The Gallery's mission is to show traditional and digital prints of photographs and fine artwork, and to be a center of creativity and connection in the Danbury area.
The Gallery at Still River Editions is open during normal business hours 8:30 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday, and during posted hours for special events. The Gallery does not accept unsolicited submissions at this time.
