After medical school, Sarka completed a residency in family medicine at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. When his residency ended, he devoted more time to painting. He focused on landscapes, highlighting the natural beauty of Colorado’s flora and fauna. He deems medicine his calling, but painting is his passion. “As a child, I knew I wanted to be a physician. I knew I wanted to have long-term relationships with patients,” Sarka says. “With painting, it’s almost a meditative experience. If I’m painting for an hour or two, it quiets my mind in a very focused way. Things that allow you to appreciate beauty for beauty’s sake without a lot of rules are nice.” Sarka’s goal in creating art is simple yet powerful. He wants to create beauty on the canvas, beauty that can be shared with those in need. “I see patients I care about who are struggling with pain and illness. I try to create positive images in my paintings that can be inspiring to them,” he says. “These images are typical of what’s around me, but they are painted in such a way as to remind people that you don’t have to go far to see beauty. You just have to take a little time to look for it.” "High Plains Sunset" by Drew Sarka floridaphysician.med.ufl.edu SUMMER 2 0 1 7 | 25
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