The 4’x6′ oil painting of aspen trees created by Los Alamos artist Sasha Scully hangs on the wall in the stairway at Aspen Elementary School. Scully donated the painting to the school when it reopened in November following major renovations. Photo by Vint Miller
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
Los Alamos artist Sasha Scully describes a special bond she feels for Aspen Elementary School and why she wanted to donate her oil painting depicting Aspen trees.
Sasha Scully. Courtesy photo“I’ve loved Aspen trees all my life and when I walked into Aspen School … I felt like I was home … it’s hard to explain but it’s in my heart and I just knew the painting belonged there,” Scully said.
The 35-year-old single mother of two volunteers her time one day a week in the school’s art department. Her son Patrick, 9, attends Aspen where he started as a kindergartner. Her daughter Robyn, 12, attended Aspen in 3rd through 6th grades and now attends Los Alamos Middle School.
“We just love Aspen School so much,” Scully said. “I love to support our community and the schools and teachers. They are the ones who help build our future for our childeren … I like to give back to show appreciation and acknowledge the hard work of our teachers and staff.”
Born and raised in Las Cruces, Scully first came to Los Alamos when she was 19 to intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She married in 2000 and lived with her husband in Santa Fe until they moved to Los Alamos in 2006. The couple divorced in 2013.
“I began oil painting while pregnant with my daughter. My German great grandfather, whose nickname was named Sasha, was an oil painter so to honor him I sign my paintings with a diacritical sign over the first Ä in my name,” she said.
Sasha Scully with her daughter Robyn and son Patrick during a visit to Moab, Utah. Courtesy photoAspen scenes are her specialty, which she paints while barefoot with her favorite music playing in the background.
“When I paint I get lost in my art and stop thinking … I feel more grounded and connected to my work without shoes and feeling the music,” Scully said.
She explained that she particularly enjoys commission work so she can customize the painting to her client’s personality and lifestyle. Her paintings have been shown and purchased throughout the United States.
Scully holds an Associate’s Degree in Engineering and is working on an Associate’s Degree in Media Arts from Santa Fe Community College.
To contact Sasha Scully, email her at sashas.journey@gmail.com. Her website is http://sashascully.com/ and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aspencreativestudios?fref=ts.
Painting by Sasha Scully. Courtesy photo
Painting by Sasha Scully. Courtesy photo
Painting by Sasha Scully. Courtesy photo
