There are a few things that make the incessant internal monologue shut off in our minds. Deep breathing, meditating, those last few moments before you fall asleep, and now to add to the list, Sarah Kirk’s sketchbook spreads. It was the first thing that came to mind, or rather didn’t, when we stumbled across her artwork. Whether it was the color palettes, serene settings, or the overall composition that caught our eye originally we can’t speak to but ever since learning of her art’s existence, we’ve come back to it multiple times just to relish in the calmness it evokes.
Sarah is a freelance illustrator based in Oxford, which is a major inspiration for her work. She describes her artwork as, “…painterly and expressive and I like using traditional materials and textures in a contemporary way.” The painterly essence of her work is one of its most endearing qualities, and you can tell just by taking a look at a few of her pieces that this is very much a practice in creating art, not just producing works, for her. There’s something really refreshing about art that looks like art in an age of photorealism, especially when it’s as high-quality as the pieces Kirk composes.
At the time of our writing, Sarah is currently on the last stretch of a 100-day sketchbook practice that she challenged herself to. So far she’s illustrated fields of flowers, two hares playing, multiple life drawings, and so much more! We’re glad to have found Sarah mid-challenge and can’t wait to see where her art journey takes her next, but as long as it’s as tranquil as her sketchbook spreads, we’ll happily go along for the ride. You can learn more about Sarah and her work here, follow her on Instagram here, and shop her artwork here. Check out a few our faves below.
