By Elizabeth Brannon
When the 2023 Best of Denton County Awards were announced, Flower Mound resident Sara McCain was named Best Artist. Sara said she was honored, amazed and a little overwhelmed, considering the number of talented and prolific artists in Denton County. But recognition of and praise for her work are not new for Sara.
Sara has been drawing anime and painting for fun since she was a small child. That early fun evolved into Sara’s life work. Sara says she didn’t start out as an accomplished artist – that took practice, relentless hard work and focused commitment. Sara received her Bachelors of Arts in Art Education with an All-Level Teaching Certification in Art Education through Texas Woman’s University. She continues to learn about art through affiliations with other experienced artists and in teaching her own students. Sara enjoys teaching students of all ages, from the youngest, developing artists, to older, accomplished artists. Feedback from her students indicates Sara enables them to have fun and enjoy their art as well as learn skills to become more proficient. She challenges all of them to be independent and to think creatively.
Sara works with oils, watercolor, charcoal, acrylic, pastels, alcohol ink and with photography. She often creates her unique art from a photograph, but wants her end work to be less photo-like and have more of her brush strokes showing. It’s important for Sara to create art that evokes a feeling for the viewer.
Sara had a solo show at the Grapevine Main Street Theater and exhibited in the “Fresh Ideas Show” with the Visual Arts League of Lewisville. Sara’s works also appear in the gallery at Art House, Highland Village. Sara would like to have more solo shows, get more exposure for her art and create art that would lend itself to appearing on a signal box in Flower Mound. Since a lot of her work is portraiture, it won’t wrap around a signal box successfully. Sara loves still life and portraiture. She has always been inspired by American Artist, John Singer Sargant, who was an accomplished portrait painter. Many of Sara’s best works are commissioned works, often of houses, homes and pets. She has a cat named Daisy, who might inspire the creativity and joy found in Sara’s pet portraits. When drawing animals, Sara is especially adept at drawing eyes and the light in the animal eyes.
At one time, Sara contemplated going to bartending school. For Sara, each cocktail can become a work of (consumable) art, from the individual drink to the collection of cocktails that together form yet another interesting work of art. She also loves the creativity that comes with cooking, presenting and then painting the gorgeous colors of food. Sara’s paintings of food are so realistic and luscious looking that it can trigger food cravings for the viewers!
Favorites for Sara include Halloween, spooky things, and creative challenges. She would love to paint full time, but right now, she can’t be an exclusive full-time artist and still afford her life. Prices for her commissioned works of art are very reasonable and make it feasible for many people to own an original painting.
Creating art has helped Sara express herself and overcome anxieties she had a shy person. At this time in her career, Sara has not focused exclusively on one thing to paint and is open to all things creative.
In addition to her art being displayed at Art House, Sara’s works can be found in various places: Facebook: Sara McCain Art; Instagram: smccainart; YouTube: Sara McCain Art; online at saramccainart.com
Elizabeth Brannon serves on the Town of Flower Mound Cultural Arts Commission.
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