The artist worked as an illustrator with the magazines Niva (“Field”) and Stolitsa I Usadba (“Capital and Estate”). He designed books In forests by P. I. Melnikov-Pecharsky (1909), Prince Serebrenni by A. N. Tolstoy (1908–1910) and many others.

In 1905 Goryushkin-Sorokopudov left Russian history, and began to depict current events and life of the country: Barricades 1905, Devastation of manor house and others. In 1906 the artist together with A. I. Vakhrameev, N. F. Petrov and D. N. Kardovsky published the magazine Gamayun, although it had been suppressed by the censor. Under the impression of the war 1914–1918, Goryushkin-Sorokopudov created such paintings as Heroic deed of sister of charity (1914–1916), The captives have been brought! (1916).

The artist painted a lot of portraits; the most significant of them were The portrait of the actress A. N. Sobolshchikova-Samarina, The kiss, The portrait of the princess N. V. Mansyreva, Self-portrait, The girl in the bright sun, and The portrait of V. V. Fomina. In all artist’s genres and motifs, landscape played a significant part in the work of the painter, that’s why lyricism was characteristic for his paintings.

From 1903 till 1908 Goryushkin-Sorokopudov taught at the Drawing School under the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. In 1908 he moved to Penza, lectured in Penza Art School (till 1954, with interruption).

After the revolution in 1917 Goryushkin-Sorokopudov was discharged from teaching. Penza Art School was reorganized into Artistic and Technical Workshops. However the painter actively took part in art and social life. He joined the Association of the artists of the Revolution (AKhR) and the Youth Organization under the Association of the artists of Revolutionary Russia (OMAKhR) in Penza; he exposed his works at the exhibitions of these associations.

In mid 1920s–1930s Goryushkin-Sorokopudov created a series of works dedicated to V. I. Lenin (Lenin and revolution, Lenin on a rostrum). He painted in traditions of Russian realistic landscape, genre compositions and portraits: Spring in homeland, Winter (1936), Ivanovka (1939) and others.

In 1943 the painter was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour.

After the Great Patriotic War, Goryushkin-Sorokopudov continued teaching.

The memoirs Years of studies under Repin by Goryushkin-Sorokopudov were published in 1949; artist’s memoirs about his work in Penza in 1920s (Artist) were published posthumously in 1963.

Personal exhibitions of Goryushkin-Sorokopudov were held in Penza (1956, 1973) and in Moscow (1964).

In 1986 the Memorial Museum of I. S. Goryushkin-Sorokopudov was opened in Penza Art Gallery.