February 8, 2009

Distractions
2006
acrylic on canvas
24" x 36"

Housework

A reoccurring "to do" on my list whether I am painting, gardening or going to school

Housework, if it is done right, can kill you.
~John Skow

Peace Always

Sharon

October 14, 2008

Pulled In All Directions
1999
Acrylic on Belgium linen
24" x 36"

In 1999 I painted "Pulled in All Directions" in response to feeling overwhelmed with day to day responsibilities. Most initial reactions to this painting are more literal thus leading to disgust. As usual with paintings of this time the background scene is based in the kitchen-the heart of the house and the common location of a house slave (wife).

Peace Always

Sharon

September 20, 2008

The Dishes Hadn't Been Done
1998
acrylic on metal tray
15" diameter

Because I am self employed, I realistically work seven days a week. Even a off day involves some amount of work for instance last Wednesday when my daughter and I took a day trip to Pittsburgh I needed to pack and ship two things through the United States Postal service and one item via UPS. I also took my camera with us in case I found something that was interesting to photograph for either my on going group of "arty" photos or something to add to my daily post.

Today I painted for most of the day. Paint time usually means something won't get done. In the case of today there were several things that were neglected: no walk in the woods with my dog, no gardening time and lastly the pile of dishes that were amassed today still remain unwashed.

I have been painting scenes from the hearth since my daughter was young and I began to paint some 14 years ago. Undone dishes have been part of my paintings including scenes from the "Housewife Series", 2000, "Pulled in All Directions", 1999, and "The Dishes Hadn't Been Done", 1998.

Peace Always

Sharon

August 2, 2008

The Housewife
1998
acrylic on metal toy
5" x 3" x 2"

I have mentioned in prior post that my art training was in graphic design not painting. Several of my artistic neighbors wanted to start an art critique group and encouraged me to start painting so I could participate. One of my earliest sculptures was "The Housewife" which was acrylic paint on a metal toy and fimo. It was the first time I used my art to express a thought albeit a simplistic one (the classic whore vs mother images of a housewife).

June 12, 2008

When I started out as an artist I studied graphic design with the intention of going into typography. I left Pratt Institute and moved to central Pennsylvania to continue studying graphic design at Penn State. The head of the graphic design department was a memorable teacher who made me question my passion for art and whether I could truly lead a creative lifestyle. (A few years ago I read a book by Chip Kidd called The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel In Two Semesters which was about this very teacher and art program) Years went by and I tried to stifle creativity. Then about 3 or 4 years later I decided to take a basic weaving class. After the first class was over I decided to study fibers learn to spin, took more classes at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona studying color, fibers, weaving patterns, etc.

It wasn't until my daughter entered kindergarten that I started to paint after being encouraged by a few neighbors and friends who wanted to start an art critique group. My first paintings were graphic stylized representations of animals with different patterns: lizards, chicken heads, frogs, fish, etc. The lines were all even and basically they were flat painted patterns.

As happens I was influenced by some of the other members in the art critique group. One woman Sue Matsui would painted these fun narratives in miniature with detailed plates of food, scenes from medieval stories and little slices of life. I started to see the potential of art as a more expressive medium. Graphic Design is all about form and function and the only meaning is that you need to buy an item or idea whereas painting has no such boundaries. My first "real" piece of art was done in 1998. I used acrylic paint and painted over a small broken metal toy that had been discarded by my daughter. I titled this piece "The Housewife".