November 19, 2008

Thought Bubbles
2008
acrylic on organic cotton canvas
38" x 38"

Each time I finish a painting I bring the piece to the local photo studio, have it photographed and recorded on both tiff file and slides. I use the slides for submission for juried shows and the tiff for any computer entered shows, website, blog, as well as the basis for any printed materials of this image.

The painting "Thought Bubbles" was a series of random events, dreams or silly thoughts that I had while I was painting it (August-September 2008). Behind the disks I tried to create layers of "fabric" patterns such as a quilt or Matisse painting.

Peace Always

Sharon

August 14, 2008

Jesus And His Band Of Pseudo Hippy Trash Go To Ma Mary's For Lunch
2000
acrylic on linen
24" x 16"

In the year 2000 I painted "Jesus And His Band Of Pseudo Hippy Trash Go To Ma Mary's For Lunch". The idea behind this piece was that ultimate women get stuck with food preparation for meals and if Jesus was wandering the desert with his band of friends eventually they would stop off at Ma Mary's to get bite to eat.

I updated Jesus' friends to look more like contemporary hippie types plus my daughter, Meagan, a contemporary hooker and myself. My daughter is in the long sleeve blue dress which was a blue dress that I made her so she could dress like Anne of Green Gables (there was a scene in one of the Anne books where Matthew bought Anne a long sleeve puffy shoulder dress that she wanted).

The woman hanging down in Carhardts carrying two heavy buckets is me weighted down by responsibility. Next to me is my deceased dog Jackson, and in the far distance is Meagan's dad with his computer.

The top left of the painting is the table being set by Mary and the bottom left has Joseph cashed out enjoying an afternoon nap.

May 5, 2008

Today I received an email from a writer who is writing an article about me for a local newspaper. She asked a good question and I thought I would use this post to discuss it. The question posed was : "how do approach a subject ... without fear of offending the viewer? In other words, have you ever altered a piece to be less intimidating because the audience might confuse the meaning or intention?"
I found this to be an interesting question because it gives me an opportunity to explain creation of artwork versus showing of the same artwork. When I design a painting or sculpture it is based on a personal experience either an issue that I want to work out on the canvas or an observation I make from the lives that surround me. There is no thought as to the potential viewer-it is purely a solitary personal process. I will from time to time omit something that I feel will disrupt a loved one's life such as sharing a personal story my daughter has told me or a personal issue that is upsetting to a a friend but as far as my own stories I try not to censor myself. While I'm working on a piece I do realize that someone may either misinterpret my intention, be offended or not get my point at all but since I am not painting with an audience in mind this is not an issue during the creation of the piece.

One example, a piece I did several years ago called "The Nativity" was a portrayal of the actual birthing process of Jesus. I had only seen renderings of the "cleaned up" version of the birth with Mary loving holding her swaddled cleaned up baby and decided to do a more realistic version where Mary is writhing in pain as Jesus leaves her womb. On on side of the painting are the 3 visitors In my mind I wondered if the visitors brought Mary and Joseph appropriate gifts such as good food for Mary to help her nurse, cloth for Jesus' diapers, a sling to hold the baby in when they traveled back home. I know for some viewer this vision seems irreverent but as a pragmatic I tend to simplify things and see the day-to day details.