SHARON HOWARD

Laurel, MS

My family instilled in me, as a youngster, the beauty of Nature. During the weekends, we would explore wood-lined creeks and rivers; paying close attention to the many details abounding therein. I would often go on field trips with my younger sister to search for a variety of insect species. She majored in chemistry in college and I would help her with her course-work, by illustrating plants, animals, and microscopic organisms. I earned a BFA degree at the University of Southern Mississippi and have taught visual art during the last twenty years.

What I learned about Nature in my youth has been translated into my abstract acrylic/mixed media paintings and collages. Line and movement are interlaced in my compositions; along with creatures that I have designed and are found there. So often, when my work is on display, I notice the viewer touching the surface of my work. I don’t become bothered by this behavior; after all, touching is one of the five senses.

Finally, hours are spent on the final touches of minute detail that is characteristic of my work. I want the viewer to explore my compositions. To me that is a most important part of interacting with my work. Enjoy!