Sara Paula Hoffman | Midwestern Dolls and Ghosts

February 21 - March 22, 2025

Artist’s Statement
Paula reveals life’s quiet dramas in stolen moments and rich metaphor on the canvas. Inspired by Henrik Ibsen’s exploration of identity and human behavior in A Doll House and Ghosts, her work captures the tension between what we reveal and what we hide, creating snapshots of memories that feel both familiar and elusive. Each piece invites viewers to pause, reflect, and consider the layered stories beneath the surface.

In her new Midwestern Dolls and Ghosts collection, Paula examines the connections between text, image, and object, uncovering how these elements shape and reshape each other. Influenced by Susan Sontag’s idea that the camera turns us into “tourists in other people’s reality, and eventually in our own,” Midwestern Dolls and Ghosts invites viewers backstage to examine materials and props: to feel connected to the moment while reflecting on it from a distance. Through this balance, Paula’s work bridges the personal and the universal, offering a thoughtful perspective on memory and identity.

Artist’s Bio
Sara Paula Hoffman is a Professor of Art at Savannah College of Art and Design.  She received her MFA in Painting from Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri.  Paula refers to her small format oil on panel paintings as “theater on a two-dimensional stage.  Paula’s paintings are psychological reflections on family photographs with a starting point in Henrik Ibsen’s plays A Doll House and Ghosts. Paula’s work has been exhibited with International Ibsen Conferences:  2006 Oslo, Norway; 2009, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; 2009, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Inventory List
42. Unser Vater, oil on panel, 12” x 12”,
43. Recognize Magic, oil and glass on panel, 12” x 12”, 
44. Doors of Ireland, oil on panel, 12” x 9”, 
45. Game Over, oil on panel, 12” x 12”, 
46. Thick as Sand, oil on panel, 12” x 12”, 
47. Stand by Me, oil and patina on copper, 13” x 10”, 
48. Bring Home the Oil, oil and patina on copper, 13” x 10”
49. Casa di Bambola, print, fabric, watercolor, handmade paper from Museo della Carta, Amalfi, Italy, 20” x 14”
50. Red Line, graphite and oil on Mylar, 36” x 24”, 
51. Act IV Seen but Not Heard, giclee print, 21” x 15”, SOLD
52. The Bathers II, encaustic and oil on panel, 20” x 12”, 
53. Awaiting the Sun King, oil and patina on copper, 10” x 13”, NFS
54. The Blue Wallpaper, oil on panel, 12” x 12”, 
55. Recompense, conte on mylar, 26” x 21.5”, 
56. Another Nora, oil on panel, 14.75” x 16.5”, 
57. Recycle, charcoal on paper, 28.5” x 22”, NFS
58. Black Box, oil and mixed media on panel, 12” x 12”, 
59. Act III, Adaptation, print, graphite powder, etching on glass, 15” x 13” x 3”,
60. Manus, print on acetate, oil on panel, found objects, 15” x 12” x 3”, 
61. Dolls, An adaptation, print on acetate, oil on panel, found objects, 15” x 12” x 3”,
62. Act VI, Adaptation, print on acetate, oil on panel, found objects, 15” x 12” x 3”,