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Draft:Oliphant Studio

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  • Comment: The three sources in the draft are very good. Still going to request assistance here before moving to mainspace as I am on the fence. CNMall41 (talk) 05:21, 21 October 2025 (UTC)
  • Comment: In accordance with the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use, I disclose that I have been paid by my employer for my contributions to this article. Paintingart2025 (talk) 15:27, 5 September 2025 (UTC)
  • Comment: Notability straightforward for Sarah Oliphant. I agree with TurboSuperA+ about the improper draft title as I believe there are now enough independent reliable sources with significant coverage in this draft to meet WP:GNG for a Sarah Oliphant article in the main space. I suspect it will be harder to meet WP:NORG. The Oliphant Studio section in the main article should make it straightforward enough for people to learn more about it. Nnev66 (talk) 21:06, 21 October 2025 (UTC)

Sarah Oliphant (born 1950 or 1951) is an American artist and backdrop painter, best known as the founder of Oliphant Studio, a New York–based company specializing in hand-painted photography backdrops. Her work has appeared in major fashion magazines, portraiture, and museum exhibitions, and she has been profiled by outlets including The New York Times and Forbes.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Oliphant, a native of Chester, South Carolina, began taking weekly after-school art lessons in elementary school with former high school art teacher Lois Brice and continued studying with her through her senior year.[3] She went on to earn a degree in applied art from the University of South Carolina, where she also attended the theatre program. After college, she painted scenery for the Virginia Museum Theatre before moving to New York, where she struggled for a time to make ends meet as a freelance scenic artist for Off-Broadway productions.[3]

Career

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Oliphant began painting photographic backdrops in New York City in the late 1970s.[1] As an artist she created painted backdrops of sky, sea, sand, and city silhouettes as a service for photographers.[4] She established Oliphant Studio in 1978[3] to supply photographers with custom and rental canvases, many of which are characterized by painterly textures and subtle gradations of color.[2]

Her backdrops have been used in magazines including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and The New York Times Magazine. In 2016, her work was featured in portraits of Stephen Curry and LeBron James during the NBA Finals, highlighting the crossover of her artistry into popular culture.[5]

In 2022, Forbes profiled Oliphant as part of its "50 Over 50" series[2]

Oliphant Studio

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Founded by Oliphant in New York, Oliphant Studio developed one of the most extensive rental collections of hand-painted photographic backdrops in the United States.[1] Its canvases have been commissioned for use in editorial photography, advertising campaigns, and celebrity portraits.

The studio's work has also been exhibited in institutional contexts. The Museum of Arts and Design in New York included Oliphant backdrops in its 2019 exhibition The World of Anna Sui, which examined the fashion designer's career and collaborators.[6]

Legacy

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Oliphant has been credited with popularizing the use of painted backdrops in contemporary photography. Her studio has been used as a resource for photographers and designers, with its archive remaining active in the fashion and portrait industries.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Podolsky, Jeffrey (September 10, 2013). "A Backdrop Artist Sets the Scene for the Fashionable Set". The New York Times. ProQuest 1711617783. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Selman, Robyn (October 7, 2022). "Sarah Oliphant's Painted Floral Backdrops—And Why She's Inspired By The 50 Over 50". Forbes. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c FitzGerald, Pat (August 18, 1984). "Chester natives will be featured at show". The Herald – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Hiestand, Michael (July 17, 1984). "Artist has eyes on the sky for her inspiration | Heavenly backdrops mean fame and fun for innovative New Yorker". The Akron Beacon Journal – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Cacciola, Scott (June 8, 2016). "The N.B.A. Fashion Runway: The Stars, the Styles ... the Trash?". The New York Times. ProQuest 1794327880. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  6. ^ "The World of Anna Sui". Museum of Arts and Design. Retrieved September 8, 2025.


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