The Official "Artist Statement"
Sharon combines Art & Photography to create magic.
She does not consider herself to be a photographer in the traditional sense although her own photographs are the basis of her artwork. She uses a variety of software programs and techniques developed over nearly two years (and much lost sleep and frustration) to achieve the unique, fairytale - or magical realism - quality that her photo art work embodies.
She does not consider herself to be a photographer in the traditional sense although her own photographs are the basis of her artwork. She uses a variety of software programs and techniques developed over nearly two years (and much lost sleep and frustration) to achieve the unique, fairytale - or magical realism - quality that her photo art work embodies.
It is an
ongoing work in progress.
A natural autodidactic, Sharon is 100% self-taught
and has no formal training in any form of art (she is the former senior editor
of multiple high-profile reference books; also a position/industry for which she had no formal education or training but in which she rose rapidly and conquered).
She credits her skills and successes to her endless curiosity, hunger for knowledge, desire to always be challenged.
She credits her skills and successes to her endless curiosity, hunger for knowledge, desire to always be challenged.
As a nonconformist, she ardently and fervently believes that
traditional routes are not necessarily the only way to achieve goals.
traditional routes are not necessarily the only way to achieve goals.
Sharon has a penchant for abandoned places,
barns -decrepit and otherwise,
and enchanting, authentic people/places/things
barns -decrepit and otherwise,
and enchanting, authentic people/places/things
with history and a story to tell.
What others may overlook is oftentimes exactly
what she is drawn to.
"People don't slow down enough to look around
and see the magical world they live in," she says. "I capture my
photographs by taking long, aimless drives on endless beautiful
back roads. But I am
forever pulling over to let speeding cars pass me. They're going too fast to notice the beauty all around that I'm seeing and I think that's sad. I needed to
find a way to make people see and feel again...to make them slow down, to pause for just
a minute. That's where the fairytale, magical realism look of my artwork came
from. By making things look a little bit wonky or whimsical...this gets their attention. This makes them
see."
Her goal is to help you to remember and regain the wide-eyed sense of wonder and awe you had as a child...when everything around you was magical and whimsical and filled with possibility.