Sarah Mankin
The Art of Not Knowing What Comes Next (left), acrylic, 36x36in., $825
This piece speaks to the quiet strength of surrender and the radiance that can emerge in uncertain seasons.

The work reflects a deeply personal moment of letting go—of expectations, timelines, and needing all the answers. Instead, it honors the soft, inner light that begins to flicker when we allow ourselves to simply be present in the unknown.

With layered brushstrokes, intuitive movement, and a luminous palette of creamy whites, grounded greens, warm ochres, and gentle rose tones, the painting invites the viewer into a space of hope and healing. It is dreamlike and impressionistic, mirroring the emotional landscape of a woman choosing to trust her inner voice.

This work is about self-nurturing through uncertainty, and finding that even in the not-knowing, there is a quiet kind of brilliance—an illumination waiting to be let in.

Paper Wings (right), acrylic, 36x36in., $850
Paper Wings is about resilience, fragility, and the quiet joy of release. Each floating form represents a piece of a story—fractured yet vibrant, like pages torn from a journal and carried by the wind. Set against a soft periwinkle sky, these fragments suggest movement toward healing, toward freedom, toward light.

This piece honors the deeply feminine process of transformation. It speaks to the inner light we discover when we stop holding so tightly to what was, and begin to let go—even when what comes next is uncertain.

The forms are weightless yet bold, dreamlike yet rooted in emotion. They reflect the brilliance that comes from stepping fully into your story, even when it’s in pieces. Paper Wings is about choosing radiance over fear, softness over control, and trusting that even broken things can fly.

Artist Statement
I create expressive, joy-filled art that reflects the beauty I see in the world—whether it's the colors of nature, the nostalgia of travel, or the quiet strength of a personal story. My work is rooted in emotion and movement, inviting viewers into a space that feels both grounded and light, familiar and dreamlike.

Inspired by my faith, my family, and a lifelong love of painting, I blend bold color palettes with soft, intentional negative space to guide the eye and stir the heart. I believe art should speak—sometimes loudly, sometimes in whispers—and my goal is always to bring light, hope, and a sense of wonder to the spaces people call home.

My journey as an artist has taken many forms, from commissions across the U.S. to curated pop-up shows, from playful holiday collections to deeply personal pieces that explore identity, motherhood, and adoption. I’m drawn to abstraction because it gives language to the things we feel but cannot always say.

When you look at my work my hope is that you feel seen, uplifted, and more connected to your own story.