Artist Interview with Sabrina Abbott
Sabrina Abbott is a Sacramento-based contemporary artist who captures the overlooked beauty of discarded remnants. Candy wrappers, broken glass and once-loved flowers are all inspiration for her work. Her goal is to provide viewers with the catalyst for introspection, to take a moment of solace and notice the little things that can bring unexpected meaning to our daily lives. Beyond this, her body of work tells a story of our throw-away culture, and provides a gentle encouragement to rethink our single-use lifestyle.
Through a combination of vibrant colors, hawks-eye detail, and surprising composition; her work transports the viewer into another world. Her love of art brought her to study in Florence, Italy and Paris, France where she worked in the Uffizi Museum and The Louvre. Sabrina started a global movement in 2006 called Perceptionism, or Perceptionist Art and has been prolific in painting since then.
La Fleur De Florence, 51.2”x76.8” Oil on Canvas
Was there a particular moment you realized art was your passion?
Oh sometime near the end of first grade. I can remember vividly as a young child that while my dad was ‘watching us’ he would keep me busy with art supplies. Art has always been my best way of communicating. I describe myself as an observer... I’m not the most social person. And art was a great way for me to capture these observations without having to say anything out loud. In my youth I explored so many artforms. I wrote a 350 page novel and an anthology of poetry. I then wrote comics for a local paper for 5 years. I loved comics because it combined my love of writing and drawing. Over the years I became more and more drawn towards painting. I think the physical process of mixing colors and creating a painted representation of something has a transformative effect for me.
Pop (T)arts, 60”x48” Oil on Canvas
Which art movements and artists have had the strongest influence in your work?
Renaissance painting and Pop Art have had the strongest influence on me. I use a modified old masters technique when creating my oil paintings but focus on contemporary and commercial subjects. I’m inspired by so many artists, ranging from Michalengelo to Whistler, to Andy Warhol. I learned the techniques used by Michalengo and Leonardo Da Vinci while at the academia in Italy. I admired Whistler because he wasn’t afraid to try something new. Monet would have been a nobody without the help of Whistler!
How did your time studying art in Florence and Paris shape your art progression over the years?
I have always had a sense of irony in my work ever since I was young. But in Florence I found myself. I realized who I was, what I wanted to say, my time and my place. I am here to be an artist. So I need to paint the times that I live in and the places that impact me. This sense of irony has carried on in my work in different ways. Working in the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy and the Louvre in Paris, France I had access to so many masterpieces. I had the chance to learn from the great artists of the past, and it was their techniques and sense of pushing the envelope that became the context underpinning my work.
Tasted Rainbow - Refresh - Minis, 24”x24” Oil on Canvas
You have started this art movement that you called Perceptionism. Can you tell me about it?
It’s about removing something from a stereotypical viewpoint and altering the way a person perceives it.
Can you tell us what you’re up to at the moment, and what’s in store for the future?
Currently, my work is on display for my solo show ‘Perceptionist Art’ at The MACC until August 2nd. If you’re in Sacramento and have a chance to visit, I would love for you to come by. I am actually giving an artist talk tomorrow July 22nd, 2021 6pm-8pm at The MACC. Recently, I’ve been exhibiting in juried shows across the United States. It looks like exhibits in New York, Florida, and Paris are in my future.
Two Lips, 30”x40” Oil on Canvas
How can art lovers find more of your work, and get in touch with you?
If you would like to see more of my work and learn about my painting style, visit my website www.perceptionistart.com. My contact details and social media links are on there too.
Interview for Rancho Cordova Arts
Written by Eileen Noyer
www.perceptionistart.com