Painting TV backdrops is how he makes a living, but he lives for the work he does after-hours. It's a trade-off many an artist has made-- and learned from, Aris Janigian discovers.

She understands her medium with the eye of a dressmaker; the way cloth will take light, the mood it will throw. Sarah has a B.A. in painting and went to graduate school for theater.

When thinking about art, the act of placing paint on canvas is often the first thing that comes to mind. But set against the diverse backdrop of the current scene, which incorporates modern media ...