Behind the Monsters Series

Prior to her death, Sharon was looking to showcase three of her series that represented her evolving concern over the environment and development in how it impacts on nature - her passion. One day…

“The show the artist is proposing consists of three parts: Monsters are Playing in the Garden, Monsters in the Garden, and The Lost Garden. The first two are based on personal observations of the immediate environment and are therefore truthful records. The third part deals with a wish for people to live in peaceful harmony with the earth and its creatures. Therefore these pieces are imaginary.

With regard to the environment and our place in it, the artist believes in a need to change and therefore a need for honest communication. The artist feels a sense of urgency and the need for new directions. While maintaining a sense of hope there is also a need to behave differently toward the earth and the creatures. “

Behind the People Series

Sharon always did figurative work, some more realistic, some more abstract.

While living in Calgary, just above the city center, Sharon became aware that Chinatown was a treasure trove of people living a way of life that could soon be engulfed by the growth of the modern city. While a more modern Chinatown still exists in Calgary, the resulting series of paintings depicting the people living in the old town was well received and now captures a time lost.

While living in Boulder, Colorado, Sharon became intrigued with the many characters that make up that colourful town. The series captures the individual nature of man in today's world of conformity.

Time wandering Laguna Beach on the coast of California seeing the bright colours and shapes of people being themselves led to the Beach series.

Another significant cultural change that impacted the world of art was the introduction of video games. While this phenomenon has reached far beyond "pong" and the animation of comic type heroes, the graphics and fascination of young people in the battle between good and evil depicted in so many of the games resulted in the Video Arcade series.

When Sharon moved to Vancouver, she had the opportunity within the same period of time to visit Europe and the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver which focuses on the history of the natives of the West Coast of Canada. The striking contrast between the depiction of  Monuments and Pedestals from such differing cultures at the same historical point in time, led to this series.

The Tribute series was done as a reaction and in respect for the artists that had had significant impact on Sharon's work.

Behind the Animals Series

Sharon was always close to nature, having grown up on a farm. But her enjoyment of nature stemmed from a life long study of animals - be they large Draft Horses or the smallest Birds.

The Draft Horses Series range from being comparatively realistic to abstract, and were a series that followed Sharon throughout her life, as she portrayed these animals from when they helped open up our country, to their role in today's society being loved and appreciated for their strength and enjoyment of hard work. There were two one person shows within the 155 draft horse paintings, "Power and Grace" at the Wallace Galleries and "The Long Ride" at the Leighton Centre.

Birds were an abiding passion for Sharon, as anyone who knew her came to understand. They provided infinite enjoyment during a walk in the forest, before and after a day's painting. They also provided inspiration for many large and small abstract paintings depicting their place in our world.

Only those who have attended a country fair would appreciate the fun that local children have in competing in the  "Best Dressed Cow" contest.

While residing in Calgary during the dotcom boom of the 1990's, Sharon saw an intrinsic link between the bulls that were so much a part of that prairie town, and the stock market bulls in the spiraling market. The result was the abstract Riding the Bull series.

One of Sharon's last series "West Van Crows” is a culmination of observing and getting to know them for a period of over 20 years. Sharon's fascination of crows began when she encountered "Little Scruffy", a baby crow that was caught in a cold storm in West Vancouver. Next to him was his mother, an old crow who rested in a big pine for years before it was cut down. "I learned that a family group of up to fifteen crows lived in “their” territory. It was the beginning of a relationship with crows that was going to go both ways and be full of surprises. They have been a delightful subject - fun to paint because of their individual characters and expressiveness."

Behind the Nature Series

Sharon's works of scenes from Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver represent modern man in today's world enjoying nature.

Spring Flowers and gifts of flowers always resulted in paintings. 

Mother Nature's Pots and Pans is a whimsical series about the wonder of life and how we have come to be here along with her creatures and plants.

“Mother Nature’s Pots and Pans’ is a series of 80 paintings I did that incorporates the idea of ‘celebrating the seasonal rebirth and renewal of Mother Nature and her gift of the sensual beauty of the world of flowers’. Some of the paintings show Mother Nature as a fertility figure similar to those done by early peoples at the beginning of civilization. The goal of flourishing abundance, health and well being is common. Other paintings use various vessels such as pots and vases that are filled with Mother Nature’s flora and fauna to symbolize her “bold and beautiful artwork.”

Monsters in the Garden series prompted the creation of the children's educational colouring book,  Nature's Little Good Guys.

Mother Merganzer is a series best described by Sharon's poem referenced in each painting:

Mother Merganzer, an epic tale, Mother Merganzer with her 4 children, sail on breezy seas.

The wind comes up, and ruffles her feathers, The children leap with glee.

An approaching storm it, would seem to be - the babies settle into her feathers further.

But it is …. a terrible storm … Merganzers. canopy of feathers close around, the babies four.

She is tossed in Blackened Seas. A stalwart barge she has become - tiny

Transience series “This selection of paintings deals with rural artifacts as they are overcome by nature. The earth reclaims her own; the elements and the seasons gather and enfold these discards, making them beautiful with age, giving them magnificent patinas of green, russet, and gold. The aim is not nostalgic, but rather the idea that man has left one stage, moving into the age of electronics, leaving his archaic tools behind. The sun, wind, and water, cloak them in an aura that the painter finds irresistible.”

Behind the Music Series

While Sharon always enjoyed music, the introduction of the music video on TV generated many visual images of the singers whose words and music had impacted a generation - Sharon's generation. As a result of enjoying these first rock videos, the  Rockstars - Poets and Prophets series was started. A half hour segment of the national TV show Much Music documented the show of the series which was held at a local public gallery, and the free hand creation of the images behind it.

"Music is often seen as the highest art form as it communicates most directly and is the most accessible to people. However I see the parallel between artists making music and those making pictures as a similar journey from student to master. By adding skill to talent the Stray Notes evolve into Rock Stars."

Having taught art in various high schools, Sharon always enjoyed the students in their music classes. This resulted in the Stray Notes series.

Behind the Sculptures

Sharon's sculptures range in size from hummingbird nests to quarter size draft horses. The wire underpinning provides for form and strength to these papier maché pieces that were then painted with acrylic. Later sculptures were created from Sharon’s palettes. Sharon used Styrofoam plates from such things as meat trays from the supermarket, as her palette trays. After use, these were then cut up and attached to the wire underpinning to become palette piece sculptures.