Artist Statement:
Farm animals are frequent subjects for me. I use conventional materials, preferring the versatility of oils or pastels. Direct observation is key. I apply color, adjusting and readjusting the forms until there is an emphasis that communicates an emotion or message. The choices become tempting, complicated, and exhilarating at the same time. It's about striving to create something so visual that it is difficult to put into words. The more I paint, the more interested I am in life itself.


Sonja Searcy lives and works on a dairy farm near Callender, Iowa.