Sharon James Artist Signature
Sharon James Artist

ARTIST STATEMENT

A prism works because the distinct colours of light that travel at varying speeds inside the glass.

I perceive my work as these colours with each colour working well in isolation and when seen together creating a cohesive harmony, representing divergent aspects of my life and practice.

My life has always provided a rich seam which I have meticulously mined throughout my art career, recording moments of the present to create a physical living archive for my children.

Documenting my family history and our shared history. The intensity of these excavations needs to be sublimated. I achieve this by other voyages of discovery and different challenges, through exploring light, composition, and colour. This work can be abstract or figurative.

I learn valuable lessons from these visual expeditions. That in turn informs and enriches my figurative work, deepening my understanding of the possibilities of paint.

Working in this way enables synergy to take place, providing me with an integrated approach to my creative practice.

current work

Skies

“There is a moment in every dawn when light floats, there is the possibility of magic. Creation holds its breath.”

Douglas Adams

How can you not marvel at a beautiful sky? They have always captivated me. Painting the sky was part technical challenge, part personal challenge. To do something I had never done before, in a medium that is still relatively new to me.

I relish the provocations I set myself. I know that what I learn along the way will improve and strengthen my understanding.

Oil on Board 25cm x 35cm

£500

Identity

Why would I paint myself with a beard? Why not?
I am still looking for myself. This is a new development from the self-portraits that I have been painting/drawing for the last two years.

I want to explore different versions of myself. Exploiting gender norms. Reimagining myself, posing visual what-ifs?
I see this very much as the beginning. I know at some point in my ancestral line red hair and blue eyes were a thing.

I find it unsettling to see myself looking so like me but not me. I enjoy being unsettled.

Oil Paint on Wallpaper 40cm x 50cm

Asemic

These large scale paintings are based on the idea of repetition and deliberate gesture. The use of layers explores translucency and opacity. I’m excited by the new colours created as several overlay each other. I am also investigating obscuring colour by using neutral colours over the top. These appear white but are actually very pale pinks, blues, purples.

The overall composition of each painting owes a lot to improvisation with each mark adding to the rhythm of the painting.

I wanted these paintings to have two lives, I painted layers of ultraviolet paint that show in blue light, creating a different way to see the painting.

Emulsion and Acrylic on Watercolour Paper 100cm x 150cm

£1750

ART Collections

When Elton Met Freddie - Emulsion and Acrylic on Paper 10cm x 10cm 3

when elton met freddie

Same Boats, Different Seas - Emulsion and Acrylic on Paper 10cm x 10cm - 12

Same Boats

Dave Loves Disco__Emulsion and Acrylic on Paper __10cm x 10cm 10

Dave Loves disco

Roller Skate Emulsion and Acrylic on Paper 10cm x 10cm 9

roller skate

autobiographical work

BLACKGROUND

Our Journey to 5

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Ablutions

FAMILY

SOCIAL MEDIA

I’m always posting my latest work from my studio, my thoughts and the story of my artistic journey on Instagram and Facebook.

Sharon James Artist Studio Gallery is at .

2 days 6 hours ago

‘What she said was sad But then, all the rejection she's had To pretend to be happy Could only be idiocy’ Ha…well if you know,

Sharon James Artist Studio Gallery is at .

4 days 11 hours ago

The Apocalypse of Emptiness AKA Breakfast Well that made life interesting. I’m happily posting on here wondering why my phone said 15.05 when the clock