Sarah Oliphant

Sarah Oliphant (born 1951) is an American artist and backdrop painter. She is the founder of Oliphant Studio, a New York City–based atelier specializing in hand-painted photography backdrops. Her work has appeared in major magazines, portrait photography, and museum exhibitions, and she has been profiled by The New York Times and Forbes.

Early life and education Oliphant, a native of Chester, South Carolina, began creating artwork by attending after-school art lessons starting in the second grade from Lois Brice. Oliphant continued to study privately with Brice throughout high school. She went on to study at the University of South Carolina where she earned a degree in applied art and also took graduate classes in the theater program. She later worked painting scenery for the Virginia Museum Theatre before moving to New York, where she worked as a freelance painter for Off-Broadway productions.

Career The workspace at Oliphant Studio, Brooklyn, New York (2025). Hand-painted photography backdrops in progress, showing the painting and drying process on the studio floor. Oliphant hand-paints photorealistic backdrops for fashion photographers and shows.

Her backdrops have been used in magazines including Time magazine,

Her studio has been used as a resource for photographers and designers, with its archive remaining active in the fashion and portrait industries.