Photo by Ellie Ivanova            

 About the Artist-  Sharon Markwardt

Burleson, Texas  (Near Ft. Worth)

817-484-2454 or 817-994-7663 

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Sharon Markwardt has a degree in Fine Art, and as the daughter of an artist, has always created things.  However, a major shift in her work occurred in 2005 when she began riding horses.  Alone and injured after a bad fall, she managed to climb back on, and it gave her a new sense of courage and boldness.  Sharon moved from watercolor to oils, her color perception altered, and the subject matter was suddenly colorful, Western and Equine. 

"I'm only half-joking when I say my horse threw me into western art!", Sharon says with a laugh. 

Since then, her career has blossomed. Tight cropping  encourages the viewer to focus on the areas that fascinate the artist, who allows the subject matter to determine the format of the painting.  Sharon's unusual color usage causes the same image to appear much more realistic when viewed from afar.  "My colors are intense, but they are not arbitrary--I paint the colors I actually see, though I have to look very closely.  I just pump them up so they are easier and more fun for everybody to see.  Perhaps I am an interpreter, as artists tend to be, translating Nature to Art.  Black-and-white makes great photography, but it's not a way I can live my life.  Few things are absolute, in art or life;  I'm a big believer in relativity.  Each color is warm or cool, light or dark, only relative to those around it.  EVERYTHING is relative."

Recently, the subjects Sharon enjoys exploring most are animals, especially those found on the ranch, and their relationships with each other and with us.  She believes they have personalities, and  seeks to expose that "soul".  It is often reflected in the expressive eyes, which convey a rainbow of emotions.  Animals share a closer connection with the living universe than do people with all their technology.  Studying animals and bringing them to life on a canvas allows her to tap into that creative spirit and energy.  She feels very fortunate to be able to see her neighbor's longhorns from her studio, and to have horses, dogs, and a miniature donkey on her own property.

 Cowboy boots are another common theme in Sharon's work.  Perhaps that is because she is a fourth generation Texan, but in addition to interesting form and often wild colors, they offer a symbolic message.  They are iconic of the American West and the pioneer spirit.  Sharon says, "To me, they represent boldness and self-sufficiency, an independence from the need for the approval of others.  The stark, minimalist backgrounds I favor refer to the unknowns and dangers that constitute life, through which we must boldly stride."

"I thirst to learn something new with each painting, and hunger to bring the colors to life. The intense joy of the painting process feeds my soul.  Others pick up on that, and comment that mine is "happy art".  Enough darkness and pain exist in the world, so I feel no need to create more.  I believe good art will have an emotional impact or resonance with the viewer.  I look for the beauty in each of my subjects, and strive to leave my viewers in an upbeat mood, ready to face the challenges of their day."--Sharon Markwardt

 

 

Brief Biography

 

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honors,  University of Texas at Arlington

Painted with Soon Y. Warren, Tom Lynch, and others.  Taught children, adults, demos and workshops, in both oils and watercolors. Served as Juror.

 

Representation and Affiliations:

Currently represented by:

Waxlander Gallery and Sculpture Garden, Santa Fe, NM (link)

Vertical Peaks Fine Art, Jackson Hole, WY (link)

Your Private Collection, Granbury,  TX  (link)

I have also sold or shown work recently at:

Prellop Fine Art Gallery, Salado, TX

Morton Street Gallery, Houston

Saks Cherry Creek Galleries, Denver

Hue Gallery, Mansfield TX

           

 Memberships:

Women Artists of the West (Signature) (link)

Oil Painters of America (link)

National League of American Pen Women (Branch President)

Society of Watercolor Artists (Signature) (link)

National Watercolor Society

Texas Artists Coalition (link)

Trinity Arts Guild  (link)

FW15

Russell Farm Art Center (link) , where she taught and served as President of this non-profit arts group.

 

Selected Exhibits and Awards

March 2012      Invited to "Cowgirl up!", Desert Caballeros Western Art Museum, Wickenburg, AZ

October 4-17, 2011    "In Living Color" One-Woman Show at Waxlander Gallery, 622 Canyon Rd, Santa Fe ,NM

Aug, 2011        Best of Show, Mid Cities Fine Artists for "Tuff Enough"

May, 2011       Juror's Choice Award "WAOWing the Lone Star State"  on "Sweet Thing" Women Artists of the West National Show

May, 2011       Second Place Trinity Arts Guild Open Show "Dance of Thunder"

April, 2011       "Visual Journey"  FW15 group show, Ft Worth Community Arts Center

Mar, 2011         Watercolor Art Society, Houston  Painting accepted to International Juried Show

Jan, 2011          First Place, Figures and Portraits, Trinity Arts Guild  "Tuff Enough"

Feb, 2011          Demonstration Artist for Lake Granbury Art Association

Nov-Dec 2010   "West of Arlington"  3-artist exhibit at the Arlington Museum of Art with Chuck Gilliam and Gene Dillard

Aug-Sept, 2010  "Eclectic Visions: Through the Eyes of Texas Artists"  Arlington Museum of Art (Curated show)

Aug., 2010          First Place, Works on Paper, Mid Cities Fine Artists 25th Juried show

July 30 , 2010     Meet the Artist Sharon Markwardt, Your Private Collection Gallery, Granbury, TX

June, 2010        "WAOWing the Golden State" National Juried show, Olaf Wienthorst Museum, El Cajon, CA (4 pieces accepted)

June, 2010        WOW- "Women of Worth", National League of American Pen Women show, Atrium Gallery, UNTHSC Ft. Worth

May -June        First Place, Watercolors,Trinity Arts Guild Open National  Juried Show

Apr, 2010          Juror's Merit Award, Society of Watercolor Artists International Juried Show

Apr, 2010          Popular Choice award and Third place Oils, Trinity Arts Guild, Hurst, TX

Feb, 2010          Windsor & Newton Award, Arlington Visual Arts Assoc. Open Juried Show

Jan,  2010         “Who Paints the Truth”  FW15 group show, Ft Worth Community Arts Center

Oct,  2009          Second Place,  Society of Watercolor Artists Juried Show

Oct,  2009          Invited to “Boots 2 Heal” National show, Morton Street Gallery, Houston

Sept, 2009          Accepted to Bosque Conservatory Art Classic National show (Sold)

Sept, 2009          Exhibited with/ inducted into National League of American Pen Women

July, 2009           First Place Sculpture, Weatherford Art Assn. Open Juried Show

May, 2009          Solo Exhibition  “Color of The West”,  Fort Worth Community Art Center

May, 2009          SWA Merit Award, Society of Watercolor Artists National Show

May, ‘08 & ’09  Honorable Mention, Trinity Arts Guild Open Juried Show

Feb., 2009          "WAOWing the Mountain State", Women Artists of the West, National Show, Saks Galleries, Denver (sold)

July, 2008           Best of Show and Windsor & Newton Award, Weatherford Art Association Open Juried Show

Sept, 2007          One-painter show, Hue Gallery, Mansfield, TX

 The list goes back decades but gets a little long .  Her first Best of Show cash award came at age 14. 

"Back in the day", Sharon sold work in many major juried shows such as Ft. Worth Main St., Dallas 500 ArtsFest,  and Cottonwood Arts Festival.

Collectors:

Markwardt's work hangs in corporate and private collections in Texas, Santa Fe, Colorado, California, New York, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Kentucky, and beyond.   Collectors include doctors, lawyers, horsemen, financial planners, other artists, ranchers, and a Champion Bull Rider.  Her  paintings have been chosen as gifts to represent Texas by  Ft. Worth Sister Cities International, and  now hang in Italy and Africa.  An interior design firm specializing in "enhancing well-being" chose her paintings for the walls of the El Paso Children's Hospital.

Publications:
Art of the West, 2012 Guidebook of Western Art

Western Art Collector, Oct 2011, pgs 23, 100-101(Show Preview)

Southwest Art, Oct 2011, pg 17

Santa Fean, Oct/Nov 2011, pg 47

Southwest Art, May 2011, pgs 37 & 39

Southwest Art, Jan 2011, pg 99, March pg 100

Art of the West 2011 Guidebook of Western Art

Southwest Art, Dec 2010, pg 109

Southwest Art, Oct 2010, Oil Painters of America pgs 46 and 49

Southwest Art, May 2010, ad with WAOW

Art of the West, May 2010, ad with WAOW

Article in Ft. Worth Star Telegram April 7, 2010

Southwest Art, Aug 2009, ad with WAOW

Prime Living, Oct 2009

Burleson Now, Oct 2007, Cover painting and article

Mansfield News Mirror, Oct, 2007, Photos and write-up

 

Donations:

I have supported the following charities with donations of my artwork: 

Cariety Foundation (Women’s Cancer)

Wings of Hope (Equine Assisted Therapy)

MD Anderson’s Children’s Cancer Fund

Johnson County Children’s Advocacy
Preserve Historic Granbury