Sarah Bixler is a painter and educator in Seattle Washington.  She began her artistic studies at Gage Academy of Art where she deepened her understanding of the human body through long-form sculpture, anatomy and drawing from direct observation.  In 2011, Sarah received a BFA from the University of Washington where she studied contemporary drawing and painting. She has taught observational drawing and painting since 2011 and has offered classes at Winslow Art Center, Seattle Artist's League and Gage Academy of Art.

I am interested in the tension between representation and abstraction. I primarily work from observation and am interested in how painting and drawing transcribe the elements of observed space into marks of color and value. I love that working observationally changes the way we see the world and empowers us to notice the quiet moments of beauty that permeate our daily lives. As an instructor I focus on helping students see big areas of color and value, while developing a logical framework for understanding the relativity of color and color relationships. My teaching builds on the legacy of Charles Hawthorne and Edwin Dickinson, using observed areas of color and value to describe the form as it presents itself in its current moment, regardless of prior knowledge or assumptions of what a form should be.    

Website: sarahbixler.com
Instagram: @seblr