Local Artist Showcased at Penelope’s Cafe

Local artist Sarah Awad explores the complexity of the human being, reflects on her travels, and presents a variety of still life in her paintings that are currently on exhibit at Penelope’s Books and Café in La Cañada now through February.

Visitors to Penelope’s will have the opportunity to view close to 40 pieces that Awad has completed over the past 18 months. She uses a variety of materials in her work including watercolors, gouache, and oils. One of her most intriguing pieces on display, “Further In,” is a two-plate print that employs traditional etching with an aquatint that adds depth to the artwork. Guests should also make sure to check out “The Wedding Party,” a fun acrylic-on-paper piece hung on the café’s west facing wall.

While most people bring a camera with them on vacation, Awad usually makes sure that her tools of the trade -- at a minimum, sketch pad and pencil -- are at her side so she can capture scenes that particularly strike her. Many of these scenes from a recent trip to Pennsylvania can be found on Penelope’s south wall. These small watercolor paintings portray the languid environment that she encountered in the town of Bloomburg where she spent six weeks. Awad explains that “when I see things I want to interpret them visually.”

Walking through Penelope’s with Awad drew praise for the young artist. One woman commented that her work was “really, really wonderful.” Awad appreciates the kind words, but tries not to put too much weight on them. “It’s very gratifying to hear,” she says, but the art right now is for herself. She is especially drawn to portraying subjects that she has a frame of reference for personally. This reference enables her to illustrate the depth and complexity of the subject that is not possible in her landscape work. An example of this intense work is “Cheryl,”an oil-on-canvas that is on display.

Awad originally planned a career as an engineer and received a degree in mathematics from Claremont McKenna College in 2003. She was so highly regarded in her field that she presented the findings of her senior thesis to the United States Navy Strategic System Program. However, her desire to be an artist was too strong to ignore, so she decided to reapply her energies to her art and submitted her portfolio to nearby Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She was accepted into the illustration program at the prestigious institution where she plans to graduate in December of this year.

The work of Sarah Awad will be on display at Penelope’s through February. Penelope’s Books and Café is located at 1029 Foothill Blvd. in La Cañada. For further information on Sarah Awad, call 203-5530.ARTIST -- La Cañada native Sarah Awad stands in front of many of her paintings. Awad is exhibiting a variety of pieces that include works in oil, watercolor, gouache and acrylic on paper. Close to 40 pieces of Awad’s work is on display through February. 20060127itm7c7ncPhoto by Robin Goldsworthy