Sharon Wootton

‘Like a lot of artists my childhood was full of memorable days drawing, painting and making daisy chains and just being amazed at the colours and wonders of my world.

After completing year 11 in a traditional high school I was then encouraged to enroll in a Tertiary Orientation Program for year 12. This prepared me for university. I went on to complete a Diploma in Visual Arts majoring in printmaking and drawing. Following this I worked in the Art industry for 12 months returning to university to embark on a graduate Diploma in Education. For the next 30 or more years I was truly rewarded by being able to teach art and design to secondary school aged students in the Latrobe Valley.

Since retiring I’ve been able to concentrate on my art full time and now work permanently out of my own studio. During this time I’ve had numerous solo exhibitions, group exhibitions and the honour of winning many awards.

For six months of the year I travel around Australia being inspired by interactions with people and places. My inspiration also comes from observations and studies into the diversity of patterns, colours and shapes within nature and the effect of light as to how I interpret this into my creative process.

I enjoy playing around with a variety of mixed mediums. Acrylic paint has been my “go-to”, interspersed with a variety of coloured pens and inks. A few years ago I started a course in oil paints. Mixing these mediums has allowed me to explore and develop my love of portrait.

My work begins with acrylic, then oils and finally ink and pens, working mainly on canvas. The mood of the day dominates the composition and then I add patterns and textures. I love working on a large scale. My work has layers of meanings symbolising how I see and interpret my environment

For me there is nothing more exciting than to immerse myself in the process of trying to capture the mood visually of the subject matter. The interconnection with colour, shape, patterns and movement allows me the freedom to explore layering with mixed mediums, this in turn creates unexpected and complex compositions.

Over many years my love of portraiture and lifestyle have finally morphed together in a style that I truly feel is who I am as an artist.’