local artist
From Runway to Canvas Marilyn Sparks’ Southern Soul at Curate 30a by Jessica Holthaus Badour
M arilyn Sparks’ paintings are more than bold, vibrant landscapes; they are vivid memories, rendered in oil paint and a palette knife. A self-taught artist with a background in the fashion industry, Sparks brings a designer’s eye to her stunning depictions of barns, fields and coastal scenes. Each canvas is a tribute to her southern roots, evoking the
Her instinctual style developed as she realized she didn’t have to follow traditional methods. “I thought I was supposed to paint using a brush and listening to classical music,” she says. “But both were driving me crazy!” The turning point came when a friend gifted her a bag of old oil paints and palette knives. She naturally discovered her preference for palette knives, finding them better suited to her textured style. “I can cover a lot more territory with a palette knife than a brush,” Sparks says. “I appreciate realism and the artists who do it so beautifully, but I don’t have the patience for all that.” Instead, she paints in a bold, wet-into-wet (alla prima) style, beginning by blocking in her compositions with oil crayon and then layering thick swaths of oil paint directly from the tube. Barns are a recurring theme in her work, a
warmth and nostalgia of a simpler time. Her memories of pastoral scenes from childhood leave viewers surrounded by the scents, sounds and charms of her Southern heritage. Represented locally at Curate 30a in Rosemary Beach, Sparks’ work resonates with the Florida community
Mala Beach is a seven-home Gulfside community featuring luxurious custom finishes in Inlet Beach.
Tom Fitzpatrick Broker Associate | 850.225.4674 | tom@scenicsir.com | tom.scenicsir.com
1879 Soft Summer Breeze, 36x36
seeking authenticity and emotional connection in their art. Sparks, who grew up in Tennessee, says her southern background is her greatest inspiration. “I paint what I know and love,” she says. “That’s where my heart is.” Before ever dabbling in paint, Sparks had a career producing fashion shows nationwide. But with dramatic shifts in the fashion industry (moving primarily online in 2000), she knew it was time for a change. “One day I thought, ‘I think I’ll paint,’” she laughs, which led her to experiment with leftover house paint and extra canvases in her garage. “I got down on my hands and knees and just started painting. After that first canvas, I rewarded myself by going to Blick and getting an actual easel and getting off the floor.” What began as an experiment quickly blossomed into a new career. “I was just painting to paint, and before I knew it, I was in a dozen galleries across the Southeast,” Sparks says. “I didn’t even have to ask — they found me. One thing led to another.” She approaches her art much like she did fashion: with an eye for composition, color and texture. “In many ways, I’m doing the same thing,” she reflects. “I’m just using different mediums. Instead of models and a runway, I have paint and canvas.” Marilyn Sparks
nod to the vanishing landscapes of rural America. Many clients commission paintings of barns from their childhood homes, sending Sparks photographs to work from. “They’re tearing down so many barns across the country,” she says. “It’s an honor to preserve those memories.” Working out of her studio in Cumming, Ga., Sparks creates from instinct, with no formal training, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Her vivid paintings are heartfelt tributes to places and memories. She has also created commissions for businesses, including banks and ever alike,” she says. “Even with commissions, I just let it happen naturally.” When she’s not working on commissions, Sparks lets her mood guide her. “Sometimes I start out thinking I’m going to paint a boat, but I end up doing a barn,” she says. “Sometimes it feels like I have no control, and that’s the beauty of it.” Sparks’ connection to the 30-A region is profound, dating back to when Seaside was just a small collection of shops. Over the past 15 years, she’s drawn inspiration from the area’s coastal beauty, laid-back spirit and family traditions. "Marilyn’s work captures the very soul of the coastal hospitals. A business often picks a genre of her work and asks for similar artwork. “No two pieces are
REACH THE FINEST PEOPLE ON 30-A.
lifestyle we celebrate at Curate 30a,” says Gary Handler, owner of Curate 30a gallery, where her work is available. “Her paintings bring a sense of joy, serenity and timeless beauty to our gallery and collectors, embodying this community's spirit and the dreams that draw people here." Two new beach scenes are air-drying in her studio and will soon be transported to Curate 30a. “Spending time on 30-A inspires me,” she says. “You see these generations of families creating happy memories, and of
course, the bicycles— they inspire me, too.” Viewers will see them regularly featured in her work on display at Curate 30a. For Sparks, passion
Each canvas is a tribute to her southern roots, evoking the warmth and nostalgia of a simpler time.
Call (404) 907-6427 for rates and information miles@thirtyareview.com www.thirtyareview.com visit our website for current and past issues
has been the driving force behind both of her careers. “Everyone should have a passion,” she says. “I feel so fortunate and blessed to get up and do what I love every day.” Her advice to aspiring artists is simple: “Follow your heart. That’s all I know to say.”
B
Marilyn Sparks at Curate 30a 72 Main St., Rosemary Beach Mon-Sat 10 am.- 9 p.m., Sunday 12-9 p.m.
ADVERTISE WITH US
850-231-1808 curate30a.com info@curate30a.com
18 | THE THIRTY-A REVIEW | MAY/JUNE 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs