A year ago I released my very first collection of paintings. It was so exciting and so scary to share those first pieces, but I’m sure glad I did!

It was a long time coming, really. I grew up creating and painting everything I could get my hands on, everything from rocks to walls. I took art classes during the summer and all through school, but as I got closer to college I started focusing more on AP classes and less on art.

In all honesty, I was scared. I thought I wasn’t creative enough to let too much ride on art. And there’s always someone out there who is better than you, so shouldn’t I leave the painting to them?

After graduating from high school, I left my happy little comfort zone near Denton, NC, to go to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I quickly discovered graphic design through the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. It felt like the perfect fit - a way to still be creative and have a practical career.

I took all of the graphics classes I could, but I still found myself gravitating towards the art department. During this time I met my husband, who just so happened to ask me out on our first date while I was painting for one of my art classes. That seemed like just one of the many ways God was working behind the scenes to shape my journey.

I received my BA in journalism with a concentration in graphic design in 2015 and started working as a studio artist at an advertising agency in Durham the day after graduation. I got to work on creative projects — producing print and digital advertisements for clients — and I got to travel to New York City from time to time for work. It was an amazing experience, and I learned a ton, but I realized I wanted more creative freedom and a better sense of purpose.

That’s when I found my way to a local independent Pre-k through grade 12 school, where they were looking for a graphic designer to work on their communications team. As I adjusted to a new role and a new team, my (now) husband and I planned our wedding and bought our first house. To say we were busy is an understatement! In June of 2018, our big day came. I married my best friend in a little white church in Chapel Hill.

When we got back from our honeymoon and settled into our new life, I was amazed by the amount of free time and mental space I had. I could breathe again. We got everything at our house put together, and wedding planning was a thing of the past, so I started pulling the paint back out.

My sweet husband, who knew my love for painting, gave me the little nudge of confidence I needed to really start painting again. He found an art easel that had been used to restore paintings at the North Carolina Museum of Art and gave it to me as a wedding gift.

Determined to use my new easel and inspired by the beautiful flowers at our wedding, I started painting. I really started to lean into where God was calling my heart to create.

You can’t ignore God’s calling and the gifts He gives you. I tried to just stick to the practical route, but I’m learning more and more that art has always been part of my life, and that for me, painting is an act of praise.

I painted that first series, Fanciful Florals, after work and on the weekends, in hopes that it would remind viewers of the love and beauty in their lives!

After that I just kept painting. I’ve painted custom pieces of special moments and happy memories. I’ve painted two more series, another floral study called Floral Mini Series and a watercolor series Branching Out, exploring moments of stillness in nature. I also wanted to help other couples in the midst of wedding planning, so I started openly offering wedding invitation design that incorporates my custom artwork.

I’ve grown a lot in the past year, refining my work and learning to embrace where God is calling me. And after looking for a church for nearly a year, we’ve finally settled into a new church family. The best painting sessions are after church, dancing around in my little home studio with Lauren Daigle singing in the background! It gives me more peace and inspiration to paint than anything else.

So a year after sharing my first collection, I’ve come to realize my purpose and my mission: to paint a picture of God’s love for every heart and home.

I want to encourage you to listen to where He is tugging on your heart and don’t be afraid to go for it!

I still enjoy my full-time graphic design job, but I’m finding ways to make art a part of my life right now. Some days it’s easier than others, but with a little faith and grace I’m learning to trust the Lord with what the future holds and enjoy the moment!

God is the ultimate creator, and He put that creativity in all of us to carry out His work and share His love with the world. The beauty God created is all around us, in both the little moments and the big ones, and that’s what I hope to show others through my art!

Questions for the reader (from the editor):

Is there a creative love in your life that you feel like you’ve pushed under the rug?
Ask yourself, what is contributing to putting those things aside? Is it the season of life you’re in, your job, or fear? Take a moment to think over any contributing factors.
Imagine if money and fear weren’t a part of the equation. How might your life look differently than it does now? Would you include more of your creative loves into your life?
Who is someone you can tell about your what you love to do creatively? Finding a creative community or a support system is a great way to stay grounded and keep those things a part of your life.

Here at SRW, we believe that everyone deserves to enjoy more creative expression in their life, no matter their career, their gifting set, or their natural proclivity towards creativity. You can read more about that here!

About the Author: Sarah Jane Tart

Sarah Jane Tart is a watercolor and acrylic artist with a mission to paint a picture of God's love for every heart and home. A North Carolina native, she grew up in the country and made the 8-mile trek to Durham after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sarah Jane creates two collections each year that she releases online, and she takes on a limited number of commissions each month. She believes that creating art is a personal experience, from the first strokes of paint, to the finished piece sitting pretty on your mantle as you enjoy a night-in with your family! She fell in love with the process of creating, but she's found that the best part is connecting with amazing people and developing relationships that last a lifetime!

See her gorgeous art at sarahjanetart.com (no seriously, go look! Her work is breathtaking!) and give her a follow on Instagram at @sarahjanetart.

Interested in contributing a piece to the Kindreds Series? I’d love to hear from you! Contact me here - I can’t wait to read what is on your heart!

Embracing Creativity