Sara Sarhangpour is a Toronto-based illustrator and artist. Her work reflects and intertwines her personal experiences with her love of all things cute (and sometimes creepy!). She draws inspiration from nature, fantasy, city life, the mundane, and the occult. Her influences include Michael DeForge, FriendsWithYou, TokiDoki, Gary Baseman, and Takashi Murakami. She welcomes everyone into her whimsical and colourful world filled with quirky characters and crazy details.
Sarhangpour’s recent body of work explores silly characters and the personification of adventurous animals. Her illustrations have been described as comical, whimsical, and imaginative, set typically in bright and pastel backdrops, depicting a bright and cheery scene of, for example, friends camping, eating at a restaurant, or relaxing at the park. Sarhangpour believes she subconsciously makes work that illustrates and evokes feelings of hope and positivity, even in the absence of hope, moving the viewer to viscerally respond to it, bringing warmth to their day. Sarhangpour fills up an empty page or canvas with vibrant colours, intricate details and a particular focus on the minutiae. She works digitally, but also enjoys traditional mixed media including pencil crayons, ink, markers, watercolour, and acrylic paint.
PUBLICATIONS
Chickadee Magazine - January/February 2022
Chickadee Magazine - June 2020
THIS Magazine - November/December 2019
Chickadee Magazine - November 2019
The Pond Comic Anthology #3, Seneca College
"It Counts" Colouring Book, Ryerson Centre for Safer Sex & Sexual Violence
Royal Haven IRL Zine, Vol. 2., No.1
Ryerson Folio Magazine Issue 5
EXHIBITS/FAIRS
Canzine, Sept 2019, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
"Seneca Coalesce 2019," May 2019, Steamwhistle Roundhouse, Toronto
"Seneca Independent Illustration's 15th Graduate Showcase ," April 2019, Artscape Youngplace, Toronto
AWARDS
"Best in Show," Seneca Independent Illustration's 15th Graduate Showcase
CLIENTS
SMEAR Mag, Good Kid (band), Stranded Fest, StickerYou, The Nooks Canada x Danforth Brewery, Chickadee Magazine, THIS Magazine, 153/Joombas Music Group, Stuck on Planet Earth (band), Kubota Canada, Unis Technology Ltd., Kit Hours App, STEPS Public Art, Eglinton Way BIA, Talk Show Host (band), Thought Café, Seneca College