A Moment in Time

Infusing Life into Everyday Scenes

Words by Sam Lauron Photos by Eric Morales

Some search far and wide for artistic inspiration. But for artist Sari Shryack, her vivid paintings are fueled by the most familiar surroundings.

After studying art and graphic design in college, Sari moved from Missouri to Austin when her husband landed a job here. A year had gone by before she realized she hadn’t painted since moving. Determined to build that part of her life back, she set out to create one painting or drawing a day for an entire year and share her creations on Instagram for extra accountability. Many of her paintings during this time were still life scenes she observed while on daily walks around East Austin. Looking back, she credits Austin’s vibrant scenery for sparking her renewed sense of creativity. “I would run around the neighborhood and was really inspired by the houses,” she recalls. “But what really blew my mind about Austin, especially compared to the Midwest where I grew up, was the colors and sunlight here.”

Drawing from the style depicted by modern and realist painters like Edward Hopper, Sari’s colorful landscape and still life paintings take a similar approach to everyday objects. Sari views items or places that are otherwise overlooked by many through a vibrant, abstract lens. By playing with light and highly-saturated colors, she’s able to infuse life into anything she sees, whether that’s a bottle of nail polish or an old home she regularly passes on her evening runs.

Homes as a muse

Long-established East Austin homes regularly acted as a muse for much of Sari’s early work. What made them stand out to her was not only the classic architecture or the way they caught light but also the fact that they felt lived in.

“I’ve always loved older homes,” she beams. “But I especially love the ones where you can tell that there was a party in the backyard the night before or [ones that] still have Christmas lights up in February.”

When painting homes, Sari deliberately omits people from the scene. Instead, she wants to give viewers a sense of wonderment, allowing them to fill in the gaps on their own or maybe even imagine themselves there. But even with an absence of people, the paintings feel lively, warm, and full of character.

Through all of her work, Sari’s overall desire is to leave beholders feeling more optimistic. “The world is heavy,” she states. “I always want my work to just generally leave people feeling lighter.” With her home paintings specifically, she hopes that the portraits will convey a deeper appreciation for older homes and the stories they carry within them. “I would love it if people could see the beauty and integrity in old homes just as they are.”