Sonnets

Early 1990s–present

Small, intimate works on paper — watercolor, pastel, ink, and colored pencil — made whenever space and resources were scarce.

Son­nets is a collection of small works on paper that traces one of the most enduring parts of Anthony Scarzafava's artistic practice. He began making small works on paper in the early 1990s, largely out of necessity. At the time, expensive materials were out of reach, and the realities of raising three children in a two bedroom apartment left little room for a large studio or elaborate paintings.

Watercolor, pastel, ink, and colored pencil became practical tools that allowed him to keep making art. The materials were inexpensive, portable, and required little space, but the limitations of the medium became part of the work rather than a barrier to it.

The Sonnets pieces reflect this directness. Working on a small scale, Scarzafava could experiment freely with color, line, texture, and gesture without the expense or physical demands of larger paintings. Each work became a compact space for an idea, an observation, or an impulse to take shape.

The series is ultimately about persistence. The work exists because Scarzafava continued to make art even when the resources, space, and circumstances were not ideal. What began as a practical solution became a sustained and important part of his practice, demonstrating that the impulse to create does not depend on having a large studio, expensive materials, or ideal conditions.