Important aspects to my current work are the feelings related to the atmosphere of the environment depicted. Whether it be the soupy blackness of the sky, a faint glow on the horizon or the wet pavement after a rain, these are very much part of the distinctiveness of a place. Growing up in a farm community where weather is an important topic, I acquired a heightened sensitivity to atmospheric conditions that influence light. Even the darkness of night is affected by the weather conditions and time of year, which in turn affects the way a viewer relates to that space.

Strong emotions can be prompted by a place. Over time, ways of life shape and define the people and the spaces in which they live. I am drawn to areas and structures that show character acquired from the history and memory of the people that formed that environment. Aesthetically I am interested in light sources and the play of light on surfaces. This led me to paint nightscapes of familiar yet isolated and unremarkable buildings, rooms and scenes located in rural areas close to my home. I use darkness to edit out extraneous information and provide the viewer with the essence of the place. Portraying these settings as nightscapes allows me to convey the emotional tone of the painting. The viewer's location is not specifically implied because of the light source within the paintings. They must find their own way and decide their own approach when out in the rural night depicted in these works.

Living in one place for an extended period of time provided me with a sense of local perspective that no outsider possesses. The pervasive feeling of loyalty and local identity present in this region contributes to the specialness of the Midwest. My relationship with my home community and the process between people and places has been an important aspect to my art. I frequently rely on relationships with members of my local community to get a closer look at the inside workings of specific environments, such as the back rooms of the local butcher shop or the interior of the county courthouse at night. This encouragement by my supportive local community has played a major role in my acceptance of home.

Even though my connection to the small town farm culture that shaped me as I grew up played a major role in how I approach these works, I believe they can speak to people from a variety of places and experiences. Each viewer brings their own vantage point to the works. It could be that they are from similar environments and feel comforted by the imagery, or maybe it reminds them of cross country road trips. For some these desolate nightscapes may represent somewhere they hope to never find themselves alone. Whatever the case may be, it prompts viewers to draw upon the character and identity of their regional home when approaching these works.

I like the idea of bringing paintings of small town life to the contemporary art scene in urban settings. I hope my work allows people to think about where they come from and take pride in the collective identity of their home region. The ideologies and emotions I have developed around my life in the Midwest will continue to guide me on my artistic journey.

- Sarah Williams