Sarah Guthrie

Artist Statement

Since 2017, I have been painting, thinking, and writing about joy–what it is, why it matters, how to cultivate it, and why we all deserve it.

To me, joy is an optimism of spirit we all carry within us. It’s sparked through our actions and, unlike happiness, is not dependent on our circumstances to be felt. Paradoxically, we can feel joy at the same time we feel anger, sadness, and grief.

My use of vibrant colors, combined with the orderly repetition of soft petal shapes, creates abstract works designed to evoke joy. Recent studies show that looking at colorful art not only reduces stress and increases cognition, but it is also the neurochemical equivalent of looking at someone you love.

A special feature of my process is the array of colors within each brush mark. Each mark contains dozens of slender lines of color, that engage the viewer in optically mixing the colors–inviting them into the process as they find their own joy in my paintings.