Sarah McEneaney and Lydia Ricci: The Extra Ordinary

 

Artists have always drawn inspiration from their homes. Sarah McEneaney and Lydia Ricci mine the objects and events that animate and populate their everyday lives to highlight the constant presence of exciting potential in seemingly ordinary circumstances.

Through her daily practice of meticulously painting images of her home and studio, and the happenings within those spaces, McEneaney examines the rich opportunities for reflection that abound around us. She, and her pets, inhabit a lushly colored and detailed haven where activities and events such as drinking water and a rainstorm unfold into poetic moments of meaning.

Ricci’s miniature objects, made from hoarded paper and cardboard, act as stand-ins for emotionally charged experiences and relationships. Their diminutive scale provides a safe distance for contemplation of the difficult situations or memories they contain.

Both artists’ bodies of work cohere into entire worlds—full of characters, drama, and plot twists—from the (un)limited surroundings of their homes and studios.

Image: Sarah McEneaney, Studio 2018, 2018; acrylic and collage on wood; 48 x 72 in. Courtesy of the artist and Locks Gallery, Philadelphia. Photo: John Carlano.