Sharon’s Story
Born in 1964, in Southwest Ohio, Sharon fell in love with drawing thanks to her grandfather. To her, Grandpa Zink’s flip book animations were filled with the same magic as Walt Disney, and she wanted to create some of that same magic. So, with pencil and sketchbook in hand, Sharon would go outside and find some of that magic in the country around her. She would draw the trees, the birds, the creeks, and the rolling hills. And while she didn’t know if her drawings had that the same kind of magic that Grandpa Zinc’s had, she certainly felt it when she made them.
Being an only child, Sharon spent most of her time drawing. But she was by no means lonely growing up. Her dear mother, Mary Jane, was always there with a kind word and a bright smile. And Mary Jane’s eccentric, counter culture friends encouraged Sharon to keep on pursuing her dreams as an artist, and so she did. Even though she never went on to receive any kind formal training, she never stopped chasing her dreams.
And in 1997, while working at an art supply shop, she was offered the chance to show some of her pieces at a prestigious art gallery in Cincinnati. After a life of trying, she was finally recognized for her ability.
Sharon’s pieces are rather unusual, to say the least. Her early pieces, as well as some of her recent works, are often dark and vivid; showing woman in various forms. And while some may see these pieces as odd, Sharon doesn’t see them that way. She’s always preferred to let her inner person draw and paint, and create things no one else has seen before. But as unique as all her pieces are, they all reflect the same idea: Struggle and Strength. And just like the women in her pieces, Sharon has had to struggle, and find strength.
In 2007 Sharon suffered a nearly fatal brain aneurysm. Once she recovered enough, she tried to go back to her work; as if nothing had happened. But she couldn’t do what she had before. Whenever she tried to paint or draw in her old style, it would never come out as she intended. Naturally, she became frustrated with herself, and thought about giving up on her dream.
But she didn’t give up. She’d never be able to go back to creating the way she did, but that didn’t mean she had to stop creating altogether. And just as she was forced to evolve, she let her art evolve, as well.
She hopes that you’ll enjoy looking at her pieces, and be inspired to create your own.
Sharon Miller joined Fine Art America on May 19th, 2015.
