Artist Interview: Sarah Boyts Yoder

Words of the day: color. improv. hungry. iteration. attention. guru. 

This episode's guest is Charlottesville, Virginia based painter Sarah Boyts Yoder. In the conversation Sarah draws parallels between music and painting, collecting visuals subconsciously through experiences outside of the studio, not to mention the practice of hoarding paint, and what the viewer can be for a finished piece of art… Sarah also shares a bit on being a mother and what the artist in her was doing while reading books to her children. And more… 

We have the 'five words' question making its appearance in the interview so don’t miss that. And keep your ears tuned in for a few questions submitted by previous ahtcast guest Fiona Stanbury, thanks for the great questions Fiona. 

So let’s listen in and welcome Sarah Boyts Yoder to ahtcast! 

 

 

Sarah Boyts Yoder in her studio

 

 

 

 

Night Shop

Acrylic and paint stick on paper

11.5" x 9.5"

Winter Azalea

Acrylic, spray paint, paint stick on panel

24" x 18" 

2021

 

 

 

 Persimmon Canyon

Acrylic, spray paint, paint stick on linen

64" x 50"

2019

Here Is How To Cut Them Down: Scythes

Acrylic on found map

56" x 40"

2020

Quarantine Works On Paper

Mixed media on paper

Dimensions variable

2020

Audio interview with the artist:

 

Ahtcast · Sarah Boyts Yoder Interview

 

 

 

The artist's website: Sarah Boyts Yoder

 

 Instagram: @sarahboytsyoder

 

 

Mentioned in the conversation:

Georgia O'keeffe

Robert Motherwell

Wangechi Mutu

Keltie Ferris

Twyla Tharp

Amy Sillman

Matisse

Elizabeth Murray

 

 

 

 

Quotes Sarah would like to share:

 

 

"Things that I react to strongly, I don't question, I just go for them. I don't ask, 'Why am I attracted to you?'" 

 

-Wangechi Mutu

 

 

 

'I guess in brief, I think abstraction is very much like humor in a way, because it's a form that resists or refuses -- refuses what? I guess the preconceived*. It's a kind of negation, but it's also a generous condition, "not this, maybe that, or maybe somewhere between".

-Amy Sillman

 

 

'I have to find signs that are related to the quality of my own invention. These will be new plastic signs which in their turn will be absorbed into the common language if what I say by their means has any importance for other people.' 

- Henri Matisse, from a conversation with Louis Aragon: On Signs, 1942

.........

 

 Thank you Sarah! And many thanks to previous ahtcast guest Fiona Stanbury for sending some questions in for Sarah!

 

 Thanks for listening! 

 

 

(Original intro song by David T Miller and Phillip J. Mellen)