Join us in welcoming Sarah Gayle to the JSO family as our artist-in-residence for Season 96. Sarah Gayle is a professional artist and illustrator originally from the Pacific Northwest. Looking for new adventures, she and her husband Jonathan took a cross-country leap in 2021 and moved off their sailboat in Washington state to live on land in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They came without having visited or knowing anyone; for them, Johnstown was the perfect destination to create their forever home.  

Sarah has already made an impact in our community during her past three years since moving here, presenting two solo shows of her paintings at Bottle Works and the Cambria County Arts Center and launching an open summer program, Painting in The Park to highlight the charm and history of our downtown. Her vibrant and positive enthusiasm for our region and its artistic possibilities made Sarah the perfect choice for this season’s Artist-in-Residence program.  

Sarah Gayle’s professional work includes children’s book illustration, cover design, logos and branding, Plein Air and portraits. We at the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra are honored to have Sarah present throughout this season at concert rehearsals and performances. Her quick live sketches capture our musicians at work with startling clarity and gorgeous vision. The pièce de résistance of each concert is a custom oil painting. The paintings will seek to capture the mood and moment unique to each concert theme. These larger paintings are completed in her studio, using her sketches and experiences from both the rehearsals and the performance.  

To learn more information about Sarah Gayle, please visit her website here.