Sarah Hardesty’s drawings, paintings, and installations reference geologic and environmental happenings and incorporate personal experience with a layering of time, space, and reflection. Hardesty’s work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Arlington, VA; VisArts, Rockville, MD; Metro Micro Gallery, Arlington, VA; ISE Cultural Foundation, New York, NY; Davidson Contemporary, New York, NY; MPG Gallery, Boston, MA; Wheaton College, Norton, MA; and the Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ. She has been awarded residencies at The MacDowell Colony, The Wassaic Project, The Carriage House at Islip Art Museum, Santa Fe Art Institute, and Vermont Studio Center. Hardesty is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Fairfax County Artist Grant (2020), a VFIC Mednick Fellowship (2019), a Leon Levy award (2012), and an award from The Joan Mitchell Foundation (2007). Hardesty holds an MFA in Painting from the University of Arizona and a BS in Studio Art from Skidmore College. She was born in Strong, Maine, and works in Pawtucket, RI.
Peak 2021
oil, acrylic, colored pencil, and graphite on wood panel 48″ x 36″
Artist Statement
My drawings, paintings, and sculptures explore the connection between geological formations and human experiences, such as strength, resilience, and change. I utilize texture, reflection, layering, line, and process in my work, characterized by abstract, minimal, and process-based elements. The themes I reference include climate change, geological time, and the power of nature, alongside the complex psychological landscape of human experience. I draw from personal content, including trauma, healing, and a sense of place. I consider the layering of time, the history of location, the significance of intention, and the strength of nature. I reflect on deeper themes of control, fear, safety, and the balance between holding back and letting go.
Additional Info
Artist Website: sarahhardesty.com
Instagram: @hardestyart
Part of Growing the NetWorks
This artist was selected by a past NetWorks Rhode Island participant as part of Growing the NetWorks — a 2025 exhibition presented by WaterFire Providence, at the WaterFire Arts Center, celebrating peer-nominated artists from across Rhode Island. Learn more at waterfire.org/growingthenetworks
Highlighting the work of selected artists who have played vital roles in shaping the contemporary visual arts community in Rhode Island. This collection of brief video portraits provides a window into the lives, practices, and cultural contributions of professional artists.
