A Lifelong Commitment to Art
—
Over a career spanning 40 years and over 2,000 paintings, Sharon painted many subjects, primarily in a series format. The chosen topic resulted in works that stand alone on their own merit, but also powerfully combine to tell a story. In each case the choice of subject matter dictated the medium, size, and style that would best communicate the message. Some of the series were a one-time project, while others, such as the draft horses had numerous versions throughout her career.
Early in her prolific and dedicated career, Sharon painted under her married name at the time, Sharon Holmes, transitioning to Sharon Christian Holmes. Then in the early 1980's, Sharon reverted to her maiden name for the remainder of her career - Sharon Christian.
Born in 1950, Sharon Christian was raised on the family farm near Innisfail, Alberta. Sharon's art was a passion since early childhood and her great love of nature, including all of the wild creatures and tame farm animals - large and small, began there on the farm and by the Medicine River which flows through it. Sharon always found certain subjects captivating such that she wanted to paint an entire series of paintings in order to fully capture the subject. Initially they primarily represented her impressions of the country and the farm as she saw them in their historical sense after moving to the city to attend university. Later, they often represented how nature survived and flourished in an urban environment, and the challenges inherent in that. Alongside that focus, Sharon enjoyed viewing man in the current day, whether in an historical sense but seen through today's eyes, or in man's interaction with the environment around him today.
Often this was done with a real sense of whimsy, being both playful and humourous, with a pure joy of life and art.
After completing her degree in 1971 at the University of Calgary, she taught junior high school art at H.D. Cartwright for the Calgary Public School Board from 1971 to 1977. A that point Sharon committed to a full time painting career, and was the youngest member admitted to the Canadian Society of Painters in WaterColour. She also became a member of the Alberta Society of Artists (a jury by peers). Her early work was seen mostly in the Masters and the Wallace Galleries in Calgary. Throughout her career, she has had her work selected in numerous competitions. Some examples were being selected by Avon twice for their corporate Christmas Card, and having art selected by the Alberta Art Foundation, and other company awards such as the Crown Life Award.
She lived in Boulder, Colorado and Whistler, B.C. then settling in West Vancouver in 1985 and lastly in Chilliwack, BC. Sharon had fifteen solo shows, numerous two and three person shows; and was included in numerous group shows. Sharon also wrote and self-published “The Thin Wolf Without the Collar” re-named “A Life's Journey of Art” - a philosophical book about art. Few people can say that they have been painting for their entire lives. Fewer still to painting on a full time basis for over 40 years, with more than 2,000 paintings, most of them sold, to attest to that fact. The following are from statements from two of her shows:
"In 1976, I made the decision that I needed to be able to devote the best hours of the day to painting, and so began a full time commitment. I paint contemporary life as I see it, and live through it, and that appreciation for life, people, animals large and small, as well as nature are fundamental to my beliefs and enjoyment of painting. I always believe in the freedom to choose the medium, style, and size, to best represent the subject matter that I am concentrating on at that point in time. Those that have come close to my art, see the common thread throughout it, regardless of approach. “
"For me, art is a communication about the world as I see it ... my paintings represent me, who I am, and how I think.”
