Born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Sara Simboli is one of many in her family’s generations of artists. Her inspiration began with her parents, who work together as Simboli Design, her brother, Tim Simboli, and several relatives working as professional artists. Her formal art training started at Maryland Institute College of Art. She next studied with Frank Mason at the Art Students League in New York City for seven years where she learned to paint the figure and still-lifes. Frank Mason’s students learned techniques on making their own archival mediums, gesso and surfaces using time honored recipes. During the summer months she spent time with this same teacher learning to paint landscapes plein-air in Vermont. It was in this period of studying the craft of painting that she developed a great love for 17th century Dutch paintings of all genres which prove to be a continuing source of inspiration for her.

   Sara has exhibited throughout the northeast and in Arizona, in many galleries and academic institutions. She has exhibited work as well in various art clubs throughout New York City, auctions and private house shows.

   Sara wishes to convey to people the beauty of their existence through her pictorial language and show how light is a penetrating force in daily life. Her work is about trying to understand the magical properties of light. How form is revealed out of darkness into light has become her creative quest. Each subject matter possesses a material and immaterial side through the accidents of the object (light, shape, color etc.) becoming alive and understood. For example, the volume of a porcelain vase in a still-life which seems to expand and contract at the same time once light hits the vase. There is a mysterious interchange with the light on the surface of the vase. And this is what completely captivates her: this immaterial or transcendental side of the subject matter which is elusive, yet ever present. She believes themes such as these are the ones to uplift the human spirit and is art’s greatest achievement.