One Painting at a Time challenges us to look beyond our first impressions and spend quality time with a single painting. The program departs from the idea that Clyfford Still intended his artwork to be open to interpretation and did not title his paintings. Each program is unique, with the format and conversation determined by the speaker, who has free rein to choose a painting from the 843 in the Museum’s collection. Join us for this session featuring artist Sarah Darlene.
The talk is included with Museum admission and is free for CSM members. Registration is required, and space is limited.
Painting as Divination
Using PH-1183, 1954, to spark the conversation, Sarah Darlene invites you to explore painting as a powerful form of divination, where art becomes a mirror for the unseen and a tool for profound self-discovery. Drawing inspiration from Clyfford Still’s intention for his work to be open to interpretation, Sarah will delve into how abstract painting can reveal deeper truths about the Self. A seasoned tarot reader, Sarah draws parallels between tarot and painting, both of which use visual imagery to navigate life’s complexities.
Much like Still, who sought to have his work understood outside of labels and the capitalist art market, Sarah views painting as spiritual work. She will discuss her involvement with the artist community at the Evans School and the RedLine Satellite Studio, highlighting the balance between maintaining artistic integrity and engaging with a larger community—just as Still did in his time.
About Sarah Darlene
Sarah Darlene (b. 1989, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a Denver-based artist whose work explores the intersection of expressive abstraction, physical embodiment, and spiritual experience. Primarily a painter, she transcends traditional methods by incorporating materials like clothing, sand, and rope into her work with an intuitive, mindfulness-based approach. Her work is rooted in body awareness, femininity, and queer identity, guided by the yogic concept of Maya—the illusory nature of reality. Understanding her creative practice as divination work, she continually creates new rituals to respond to her body’s present needs while echoing Abstract Expressionist compositions and concepts.
Darlene holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from Louisiana State University and an Executive Certificate of Nonprofit Management from the University of Notre Dame. Since moving to Denver in 2012, Sarah has collaborated with dozens of nonprofits to bring arts education and wellness programs to various communities. She received her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2022 and went on to complete the Essentials of Mindfulness MNDFL certification with Radical Dharma author Rev. angel Kyoto williams in 2023. From 2020 to 2022, Darlene was an Artist in Residence at RedLine Contemporary Art Center in Denver, where she developed Flow State, a meditative painting class that explores embodiment through large-scale abstract painting. She currently teaches these classes with various organizations across Colorado, aiming to integrate yogic practices into art spaces throughout the community.
Admission: Free for CSM members, $10 adults, $8 seniors (65+), $6 teachers/college students/military, $1 Museums for All/Explorer Pass (with valid EBT card), always free for children ages 17 and under.