Ingela Johansson: Between Rhythms and Emotions – Exhibiting in Seattle
By Ingela Johansson, Swedish Artist
This autumn, my art found its rhythm across the Pacific Northwest. With “Rhythms of Color” at Barlow Gallery in Bellevue (Seattle area) and “Colors of Emotions” in Tacoma, I experienced two exhibitions that became something more than shows — they became mirrors of my own journey as an artist and woman.
Each brushstroke, each gesture, carried the pulse of something I’ve been exploring for years: the power in our emotions — and how movement, light, and color can express that strength.
If you’ve been following my art journey, you might remember my earlier blog post, From Dream to Opening Night, where I shared the road leading up to this U.S. debut. Now, standing in the middle of these two exhibitions, I can see how every dream has led to this moment — to the realization that my art is not just about what I paint, but about what it awakens in others.
The Rhythm of Color – Barlow Gallery, Bellevue
When I first entered Barlow Gallery, I felt an immediate connection to the light — soft yet alive, like it was inviting the paintings to move. Even though I had prepared every wall layout, the gallery itself began to shape the final flow. Sculptures and paintings started to interact, forming what I call a dialogue of movement.
The title Rhythms of Color comes from this energy. I often describe painting as composing music with pigment — each tone and brushstroke adds to a visual rhythm that carries emotion. Visitors have told me they could feel that rhythm in the figures and colors — a rhythm that speaks of freedom, courage, and human connection.
During my art talk, I shared something very close to my heart:
I paint women as subjects, not objects — so my daughter, her friends, and I can grow up seeing strength, movement, and truth reflected back.
That is why this Saturday, October 18, Barlow Gallery will host a special feature on “The Women in My Art”, including a recorded art talk where I share the stories and symbolism behind these paintings — from the women opening windows to the sea, to those dancing in rain and light.
Colors of Emotions – Tacoma
A short drive south, the exhibition Colors of Emotions opened in Tacoma, exploring how color itself becomes emotion. These works are more introspective — moments of reflection, courage, and letting go.
Many visitors said they recognized themselves in the figures: a woman standing by the ocean, a couple moving through the storm, a person quietly beginning again. These conversations reminded me why I paint — because art doesn’t just express; it connects.
Breakthrough – Finding the Power in Emotion
In my latest writing, Breakthrough, I reflected on what I learned from this exhibition journey:
“Women described the women in my art as confident, strong, feminine, and free.
It’s a theme I’ve been working on for years, intentionally and intuitively.
The feeling of getting to know myself was so life-changing that I wanted to share that feeling with others. The theme is: finding the power in your own emotions.”
That realization — that the inner transitions I went through found their way onto the canvas — feels like the core of my art finally landing.
The exhibitions continue this month at Barlow Gallery, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has visited, shared their stories, and connected through color. Exhibiting in the U.S. has reminded me how universal our emotions are — how art can cross oceans and still speak to the same human heart.
💛 You can explore the full catalogue and see available works at
https://barlowgallery.com/artist/ingela-johansson
If you would like to listen to the art talk about WHY I PAINT WOMEN you can find it here.
YOUTUBE: Art By Ingela Johansson
Because in the end, color is not just something we see — it’s something we live with
Thank you to everyone that came to the exhibitions, and a warm welcome on the 18th of October to Barlow Gallery, Bellevue.
Thank you to Ron Stevenson at Barlow Gallery for the photos.
