Radio Maine Episode #126: Sarah Verardo
July 29, 2023
Artist Sarah Verardo has an eye for detail and design. Originally from a small Rhode Island beach town, Sarah grew up in a home filled with art, and socialized regularly with artists from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Her father, who briefly owned an art gallery, once brought five-year-old Sarah to Dale Chihuly's studio to watch him make art from blown glass. While a government major at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Sarah took her first painting class right before graduating. She applied her strong visual sense to marketing in fashion and home design, working for storied European fashion houses like Gucci from her New York City base. After 14 years, Sarah returned to Providence, where she picked up her paintbrush again. Her connection to the New England coast is clearly felt in the intricate details of her subject matter, which include seashells, flower petals and beach stones. Join our conversation with Sarah Verardo today on Radio Maine.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Hello, I'm Dr. Lisa Belisle and you are listening to or watching Radio Maine. Today I have with me in the studio Sarah Verardo, who is an artist with the Portland Art Gallery. Thanks for coming in today.
Sarah Verardo:
Thank you for having me.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Sarah, I'm interested in your career trajectory. Because when you went to Georgetown as an undergraduate, you were a government major.
Sarah Verardo:
Yes, I was and I've never gone into that field. I actually went into marketing immediately after graduating. I was a government major. I think that it was you know, I was in DC I was at Georgetown. I thought that was what I should do. it was very interesting. Andyou know, I do believe that college is, is for learning about things that you're interested in. and I did end up deciding to become a studio art majorprobably second semester, sophomore year. the art program wasn't huge there, but I had always been an artistic kid, and it, it kind of gave me a little bit more exposure to some training. And that's where I had my very first, I took my first painting class. I took intro to oil painting right before I graduated, and it's, I, I loved it. I loved painting. sadly I didn't do it for another 17 years. I started working right away after graduating in New York City and marketing. but I, you know, I, I probably never would've picked it up again, if not for that opportunity.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Then why marketing?
Sarah Verardo:
I like marketing. I still do it. I consult on the side, and I think that there is something about marketing that allows you to still be creative and you know, have a, be a storyteller, but you also get to dive into the analytical side of things. So it's very much like, they feel like the balance of what my brain is. I like puzzles, I like data. but I like to then take that and kind of create a story and a, and a plan from there.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
What's one of your favorite experiences in the marketing field?
Sarah Verardo:
My favorite - I've had a lot of great experiences, so I mostly worked in fashion in New York. and I worked for a lot of European fashion houses, so old storied brands. so certainly traveling a lot in my twenties with great. but like, sort of being a steward for these brands for the given time that I was there felt really magical and special. I don't know if I would've been as successful doing what I did for Colgate or, you know, a brand that I wasn't really excited about. the, the story behind it. so I, I've had some amazing experiences. I worked for some of the most you know, some of the most storied brands in the world. and I also met just such incredible influential people for people who are influential in my life relationships that are so, so special to me to this day.
I feel the same way about my time at Georgetown, too. I feel like the most valuable thing that I got out of that were the people that I was with, and I feel like they've made me better in every stage of my life. And the same with the folks that I met in my marketing career too. And eventually I transitioned more into the digital marketing side, which you know, it, it's beenwhen I started working, I worked at Gucci in 2004, and they didn't believe anybody would buy clothes online, so they only sold shoes. So being part of sort of this like em emerging e-commerce landscape was also really exciting too. So it was, you're constantly having to learn how to do your job on a day-to-day basis because there's no precedent. and the industry was changing so much. So it kept things really exciting.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
And have you maintained an interest in fashion?
Sarah Verardo:
I actually transitioned mostly to home. so I work with a lot of luxury home designers and home brands. I do have a couple of fashion clients. I think thatyou know, it was sort of a natural evolution, and I've seen it with other people too, where they start out in the fashion industry and then work over to interiors. I think as you know, your life becomes more focused on your home. I really, really love the home space. I love the pace of it. I love that there is still, you know, it is still very centered around design and aesthetics. I also think that it's really interesting the way that people make decisions around what's in their home. Great parallels to art as well. so, you know, there is a lot of, when you're kind of constructing a strategy around marketing a home product, you you know, there's a finite number of sets of sheets that any person needs or a finite number of couches that they need.
Sarah Verardo:
So you have to get really, really creative with how you are telling the story behind what you are selling to them, because they are making this really personal decision to live with it every day. and I think that that ismuch more unique to home than it is fashion, which can be very ephemeral and, and fleeting and, you know, very trend-based. So from a strategic point of view, I find it to be a little bit more interesting and a little bit more fun to think about. you know, how to craft that strategy and story.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
How has this translated to the work that you do with your own art? I mean, obviously there's being an artist mm-hmm. <affirmative> and being a creator, but then you are essentially a, a small business owner because your art is your business. yes. So do you feel like the knowledge has had any sort of impact?
Sarah Verardo:
I do. I think that it's been really advantageous for me. and I, I, you know, I try to share that knowledge with other artists who maybe don't have that background in, in any way that I can. I definitely think that you know, there is a a lot to of the Instagram and digital marketing. it's definitely being utilized by more and more artists every year. But I had, I feel like such a good foundation on you know, building a brand. And that's what you are as any, any person, but especially an artist. You are building your brand. So you know, the, the technical art piece is, is half of it, and the other half is sort of presenting yourself and, and conveying the meaning behind your work, but also you know, digitally, like there isyou need to build trust with people. it is a, a significant investment for somebody to makenot being able to go to your studio or to see your work in a gallery. So there is a lot of work to be done thereto sort ofmake sure that you are presented in the best way and that there's, you know, you, your customers can, can trust you and, and, you know, are willing to buy into you and your story in addition to the piece over a website.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
You're working on your own brand and your own marketing and you're thinking about how other artists can do this for themselves, are there specific things that you tend to suggest for other artists as far as digital marketing?
Sarah Verardo:
I think that, you know, I'm not, I wouldn't never bill myself as like a social media expert, but I do think that it is really, even if you're not selling your work directly on your website, to think of your website as your own personal gallery space or your own, you know, studio space. and to be really intentional with how you're presenting your work. because the way that we just on a day-to-day basis consume anything online is really, really quick. Andyou know, we're the, the, somebody will look at your website for maybe 10 seconds. I look at my analytics a lot. I know that people really, you know, at most will spend two minutes browsing my site. So I think that you know, my biggest recommendation is to really treat your web, make your website as easy as possible for somebody to navigate, and for somebody to get a sense of what you're showing them and to never assume that they are going to find the information that they wanna get. You have to really, really put it in front of them and serve it up on a platter. and I think that that is, you know, that, that's e-comm 1 0 1. It's what I do with any, any brand that I'm working with who's trying to sell online. So even if you're not selling online, just to be thinking about your website as as your personal showroom.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
You mentioned trust and, and are there ways that you encourage people to build trust or ways that you build trust with the people that you're bringing into your space?
Sarah Verardo:
yes, I mean, I think that the, the best, the most effective thing you can do is to just present yourself authentically. and, you know, maybe that's the way that you communicate online, or even just the correspondence when you respond to somebody who's reached out to you. I think that there isyou know, there, there are a lot of shady characters out there. and I think that naturally people have their, their guard up especially when you are considering a piece that, you know, is, it is about the aesthetics of that piece, and you actually can't see it. so I think that if that's one of the reasons why I feel like, and, andyou know, we were talking about this before. One of the reasons why I feel like people want to know about the artists so much and to really you know, hear their story is because there are so many things out there, and there are so many options, and it just makes you feel more connected to the piece. And, and it also just makes you, I feel, like, feel more comfortable and investing in that piece.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Tell me about your connection to Maine.
Sarah Verardo:
I'm from New England. I'm from Rhode Island. I grew up in a beach town with 12,000 residents in the winter. so really, I'm a, I'm a townie. I came to Maine in 2021 for my cousin's wedding. She, she married into a Maine family, so she's here a lot. and we ended up in Portland walking around, and I found the Portland Art Gallery. It's just a beautiful, stunning space. I love this city. I, you know, I, I lived in a 200 year old house in Providence, so I, I love the history of this area of the country. I'm also very, very connected to the coast. you know, home for me ishearing waves outside my window, and I don't even know if there are foghorns anymore, but foghorns too. So there's just such, you know, familiarity and a comfort to this area. I'm definitely a northeast New England person, and I've really loved getting to know Portland more and spending time in Maine now that I live in Rhode Island again, and I'm raising my kids here you know, I just think it's such an amazing place.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Have you introduced your children to art?
Sarah Verardo:
Yes, I have. my kids are I'm, I'm, they're interested in art in a different way. My oldest especially she's a tinkerer. He is, he's an engineer. and he, we live next to Rhode Island School of Design. I basically live on campus. and he did a RISD camp recentlylast summer. He's doing it again this summer where he worked on three dimensional art projects. Soyou know, where is like, I was a kid who was always drawing and painting. My children aren't that. but they are, I'm really, really encouraging them. And thankfully I'm in a community that allows that to think about being artistic in a different way. my older son has, you know, has said before because he can't draw what he sees. I'm bad at art, and I just, you know, the dagger to my heart is not true.
Being able to get him excited about sculpture and abstract art has just been so, so rewarding, and it's made me so happy. we're really lucky. We live next to one of the best art schools in the world. so we can visit, you know, the RISD Muse which is down the street anytime we want. I take my little one to as many exhibitions as I can. I think he is a, I'm training him to be a an, a future gallerist, maybe one day. so wewe also live near Providence Art Club where I'm a member which is, you know, just a beautiful historical space and a great community. So I just try to bring them into as much as I can. and, you know, thankfully my, my father did that for me. He was an insurance salesman, but he also owned a gallery in Providence, and I remember him taking me, he was friends with a lot of professors coming in and out of risd when I was five years old. He took me to Dale Chihuly's studio to watch him blow glass. And I have a Polaroid picture of little five-year-old me <laugh> next to Dale, and we still have the sketches from that day that are hanging in my room in my parents' house. So it you know, it was a big part of my upbringing, even in sort of an indirect way. and I think that, you know, we're really lucky to be in a city, in an area where my kids can just be surrounded by some incredible art.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
That's, it's interesting. So insurance sales, and also a gallery owner?
Sarah Verardo:
The gallery was just open in the eighties. <laugh>, it wasn't a very you know, it didn't last too long, but that he loved art, loved it. and I, I think that, you know, he wasn't an artist and he never would pretend to be, but he he met a lot of his friends through Izzy and through his gallery. And another thing that is really important to me now that I have my own home is filling it with art fromartists who have come into my life at some point which is how, you know, my childhood home, hood home was a lot of the art that is still in my house was from the, you know, shows that my dad threw in the put on in the eighties. friends of his whowere professors and have, you know, since passed every, almost every piece of art in our household. I remember meeting the artist at some point. and I you know, I, I mean, my collection at home is very, very small at this point, but that is my intent to because I want, you know, my children to look at a photograph or a painting and say, oh, I remember meeting that guy. And you know, this is mommy's friend, or this is somebody that we met with this show. so he yes, my father just loved art. and thankfully, you know, I benefited from that.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Well, in our home, we also have a lot of art, as you might imagine. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yep. Given my connection with the gallery. and I will say that my children, even now being older and having this ongoing connection with the gallery themselves, they will absolutely look at a piece in the gallery that's new, and they'll be like, oh, that's a new piece from such and such an artist. And we have one somewhat similar in style in our, in our house. So it is interesting that you surround yourself with these sort of living objects, and then you do make that personal connection and, and it kind of demystifies things in a way that I think is really, has a lot of impact.
Sarah Verardo:
Yes. I completely agree. And I you know, I, I don't you, I was around these pieces for so long. I, there are brush strokes that are just imprinted in my head from paintings that are in my parents' house, and I feel like there are some that I know every inch of that canvas. and there is, you know, it, it is like, it's sort of a touchstone to home. we joke, we all joke about which ones we're taking one day, <laugh>. But there isyou know, that is part of, of that is part of our home. And, and I think that it's, you know, how lucky or we that we get to have art be such a, a present part in, in our upbringing, and not just sort of this thing that you see through a window once or twice.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Well, I think the, the nice thing about art too is it's accessible. So, you know, maybe you have original art in your home, or maybe you have a print of, you know, Wyeth's Christina's World that, you know, and either one of those are a connection and a, and a, something that does become imprinted on your memory. yes. So what I love about what you're saying as far as kind of inviting art into the home and living with things like even sheets and mm-hmm. <affirmative> other home goods, is that you are surrounding yourself with important things that create a space for life.
Sarah Verardo:
Yes. And, and especially for obvious reasons in the past few years, home has become even more personal. it's, you know, it's not just a place you come home at six o'clock and leave at eight. there are many, myself included, who are home all the time. and I think it's really, it's, there is something lovely about being more intentional and thoughtful about your personal space and not just thinking about it as decorating or aesthetically what you want your home to look like, but it's really sanctuary. and you know, for your children, if you have children, it's it's, you know, it, it's a place that it brings a lot of comfort to them too. so I, yes. I mean, I, I think that that is as an artist, I'm so grateful and I, I tell people this all the time when they choose to bring my, my work into their home. I mean, it, it's, I'm floored. it is real, real honor. and it's not something that I take for granted at all.
Dr. Lisa Belisle (18:30):
You have a very distinct and memorable style, and I, I really love your pieces. And how, how would you describe them to people? I mean, obviously people who are watching this will be able to see some of the images on the screen mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But how would you describe your art? And also, so why did you make the choice to focus on the subjects that you do?
Sarah Verardo:
It's a real challenge to describe it. <laugh>. Okay. yes. I, I, I'm, I don't know if I, I haven't quite figured out the the most articulate way to convey my art, because it is, it is often a, a a simple object like a stone or a flower pedal or a shell. And I feel like if I tell somebody I paint stones, they're like, well, yes, well, alright. but I intentionally paint stones in the way that I do. so I paint objects that have some sort of connection to me shells and stones from the coast or, or from my home or from places that I have visited. and I paint them on sort of isolated in space and on a larger scale. and the reason behind that is because I started painting these pieces that were around me as sort of my own personal experience being a more mindful person navigating through grief of losing my father, and just trying to be more present and not so like, you know, in my own hat space.
Sarah Verardo:
So I it started with just taking walks and not walking by the thousands of stones that are on the beach, but noticing the ones that are around me. and really that is what my paintings are, is, is you know, appreciating this small, tiny piece that's around me, but also hopefully getting others to stop and, and, you know, appreciate that as well. I at the end of, they are they are very intricate in a lot of ways. And I actually paint sort of, I try to paint in the way that the, the actual object exists. So for the stones my, my painting is, is pretty delicate. I would say. I paint with a lot of thin layers. and I really do build them as the stone actually is. so they're often worn by the seas, so sometimes you see cracks coming through there, there some translucency.
Sarah Verardo:
and I'm really painting them in like 10 to 12 layers showing the different intricacies and then the, you know, the, the next layer of, of whatever the, of the next layer of the stone on top of that. and I, I realized recently, I think I paint, i, I draw with paint <laugh>. I am, you know, that was, that's sort of my first medium of choice. I love to draw. I didn't paint until right before I graduated college. And I really do think that that, especially in this time in my life, that that is how I paint. And it, it's very you know, it's, it's pretty tight and it's very, a lot of sort of layers and blending. I don't, I'm not a formally trained artist. I don't know if that's the right way to do it, but that is what my instinct and my body is telling me to do. and so that is, is sort of how I end up with, with my style.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
That's a fascinating concept to me. This idea of in order to do art, one must be formally trained because I mean, I'm sure that there are like anything, there are techniques that are well recognized as being appropriate to whatever the situation is. And at the same time, what you've just said is really profound. This idea that this is kind of the way that you feel that it should be and the way that you're going to proceed based on your own intuitive sense. And isn't that sort of the very definition of creation?
Sarah Verardo:
Absolutely. I think that this is, you know, I am no stranger to imposter syndrome <laugh>, unlike anybody else or most people out there. I do think that there is, and, and it's something that I work through always. you knowthere is always going to be sort of this piece in the back of my head that recognizes that I didn't go to art school. Andyou know, there are a lot of amazing artists who did, and they, they know so much more than I do. I will say that thankfully, you know, we're in a time now where you just have so many resources. I mean, I would learned how to do a lot of things on YouTube. so I, you know, I'm, I'm not poo-pooing art school. If I could turn back the clock, I wish I did go.
Sarah Verardo:
But I think, you know, thankfully for me and for anybody out there like you, you know, that doesn't have to hold you back. And it seems more and more that that's the case that you can sort of be an informally trained artist. But yes, I mean, at the end of the day, your creation is your creation. And you know, this isn'tyou know, it's not surgery. And, and part of what is hopefully appealing to the pieces is it you know, the concept that came from my mind and, and what I executed and not my degree and whether or not, you know, technically it is ityou know, it, it it is the right, the right way to do it. I think that there'syou know, I, I do hear feed not feedback to me directly, but you know, I, I did struggle, I think initially with thinking I'm supposed to be looser. I'm supposed to be like, this is how I'm supposed to paint. I'm supposed to use more paint. AndIit was really liberating to, to just decide, Nope, I, I'm just gonna do it this way. this is what I wanna paint. And I, you know, I love it and other people love it. So I just remind myself every day not to worry about what I'm supposed to o.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
Well, it sounds like you're translate translating that into the conversations you have with your children. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> particularly the one who apparently doesn't feel like he can draw mm-hmm. <affirmative> or, or represent something exactly the way that it is in front of him. And I think that's really powerful.
Sarah Verardo:
Yes. I mean, I think that, you know, that it is something that is you, I hope that he takes, and I take into every part of my life. And I think that this is part of what I mean when I talk about you know, being authentic. you know, I, I don't think it's bad to, to, to talk about my art and talk about the parts of it that I was, have been less secure with, and then the decisions I've made on how I move forward. I think that that you know, that really justyou know, puts more meaning behind it instead of just what somebody is looking at and, and judging sort of the technicality behind it. my evolution as an artist and also just, you know, over the past few years, even starting to paint is a huge, huge piece of the meaning behind my work. and is, you know, what I believe, like, I, I believe that painting is my purpose, but just as much as painting talking about my experience, becoming a painter and even helping one persongo down that path too, if they want to, is, is a part of that purpose.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
And one of the things you mentioned that I, that I think is something I've heard more than once is it's even a means of just processing what's going on in your life. So when you talk about processing your grief over your father's death, I think that, that, that's something that if you can be bold enough to say, this is, this is what I used as the way to do this, then it probably gives other people permission to do the same thing. And sometimes processing isn't as easy as, let me just talk about this with somebody because sometimes it's emotions that can't really be verbalized.
Sarah Verardo:
Absolutely. I mean you know, even justsort of helping through an example I do have with lots of people who are sort of you know, deciding if they should take that leap, but you know, maybe somebody who sees this conversation or who reads you know, reads my bio or, or reads something about why I painted a stone. you know, if that could have any sort of impact. and, you know, I, I think that sort of my, my experience these past few years has been such a huge gift to me. if that can be conveyed to anyone through even just my, my work that would be you know, incredible. I, I would be so grateful.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
I do remember in talking to one of the artists at the art gallery, her conversations about working through her home, burning down and just so she did so much art around this idea of kind of destruction, death, fire, and then she got to the end mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and she said, okay, this is my body of work, and here we are on the other side. And so I think that just says to me what a powerful thing for people that art can be the process of it, but also the enjoying of it. And being able to say, oh, wow, that's, that's a story I never would've thought of before talking to this artist about.
Sarah Verardo:
Yes, I mean, they, the process is not just the actual process of painting, which I think is like, for me is very meditative, but the process of going through a series and sort of like the, you know, everything of, at least in my experience, my series have sort of been evolutions of, of what the, the one before was. and it's really like in parallel with like my own what's going on with me and going from, you know, point A of grappling with grief and the initial stages to you know, being more present in every day of my life and now starting to think more about you know, these shared experiences and, and you know, how like many people go through and have gone through what I went through and, and thinking about like our connection. So there is you know, it is, it's therapeutic for sure for me. and it isyou know, I mean, it's just one of the many amazing things about any sort of creativity. it is, you know, some people write some people are musicians and, and this isyou know, my painting is my way of getting through life <laugh>. and it is really powerful.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
So you've clearly come to a place where you continue to work on your marketing side and you also do your art, and you're also parenting and you're integrating all of these pieces. They assume that you had to make some choices along the way and really be brave as you stepped forward into this decision making. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, do you have advice for other people who might be considering how to weave these elements together themselves?
Sarah Verardo:
Yes. I mean, every day I make those choices and, and they're terrifying. I think, you know, I would love to say do it. Do it. Just go for it. you know, I'm, I've always think, if not now, when but like, it is such a privilege that I get that choice. and I know, you know, I'm, I'm lucky enough to have the, the business work to help support my family. I had the time to be able to paint. I, I, you know, I, I would encourage people if you can to, to just try and to try and do whatever you can, even if it's just an hour here or there to not think about the journey so much as black and white that you know, I'm, I have a job now, I'm an artist. there, it's really, really hard.
Sarah Verardo:
And it doesn't happen instantaneously. I'm still struggling with balancing all of that. but I, I know that it's something that I have to do. sojust, you know, to take, even if it's just the smallest steps to take those small steps and to not worry too much about getting to the end point as quick as you can. and maybe this is it. Maybe this will always be the balance that I have. Maybe I am always gonna be, you know, part-time everything <laugh>, but that's okay. and you know, I think that there is you just sort of have to, to trust that whatever is sort of your best path forward will unfold. but you know, just to have a, a as much faith in yourself as you can. Great advice.
Dr. Lisa Belisle:
So those of you are listening, I hope you pay attention to Sarah's wise words and also I hope that you take the time to go to the Portland Art Gallery and see her work in person or to the Portland Art Gallery website if you're listening or watching from afar. I've been speaking with Portland Art Gallery artist, Sarah Verdo, and I personally really enjoy her work. And I think you will too. And I've really enjoyed this conversation, so thank you for coming in today.
Sarah Verardo:
Thank you so much. This was lovely.
Learn more about this artist:
Radio Mainepodcast interview #126