Biography:
Sherry Hall Shelton, artist
Native Texan, born in Houston, Sherry drew and painted from the time
she was a child. Taking for granted her abilities, she discovered
that not everyone of her age and generation enjoyed the pursuit of
expression of self through art. In high school it was discovered
that she had imagination and the talent for being able to express
herself with visual creation better than the spoken word. It was
during that time that her work was recognized by the public.
After graduation most of her time was put into marriage and the rearing
of her children.
When the two boys were settled into school routines she went back to
painting full time. In the mid-seventies she began to gain
recognition for the many awards her work achieved. She was able
to fill a resume’ with impressive credits.
Sherry had moved south to Brazoria County as a child and as a young
adult, established a reputation as an accomplished portrait
artist. It was during the late seventies that she had the
opportunity to study with many well-known artists. Later, two
study trips to Europe culminated in the delivery of a commissioned
painting to clients in Switzerland and led to the invitation to travel,
visit and study there for two more years. Her many travels across
the United States, Canada and Europe have been recorded on canvas,
paper and on film.
In the autumn of 1994 Sherry came to East Texas for a month-long
vacation to visit family, study and paint the piney woods. She
decided to move to Longview and make it her home. She has chosen
to return to Brazoria County in the Fall of 2006.
Always cheerful, Sherry’s attitude toward her art is, “I enjoy painting
all subjects and in all mediums. When someone asks why I paint
the particular subjects that I choose, I reply, ‘Why not?’
I am constantly asked which medium is my favorite. My answer is
always the same, ‘The medium I am currently working in. If I had
to choose only one subject, one medium, it would have to be portraits
in oil. Each one is the human subject, but each one has a
different personality, different ‘feel’. I start all of my
paintings with an abstract design and develop to the impressionistic
stage and eventually to realism. I work on all elements of the
composition simultaneously and the painting could be called finished at
any stage. It is my goal to make all paintings as strong in
design and art theory as possible and I work to make every
portrait/painting a good painting as well as a good likeness of the
sitter/subject matter. I try to make each and every painting
speak to the viewer and make the strongest statement possible with the
chosen subject and medium.”
Starting over in her painting career since moving to East Texas,
she has worked hard to make her art visible to the public.
Entering many competitions, she has achieved a level of notoriety she
says she didn’t think would come so soon. The ultimate
competition, for me, is always the next painting. I compete with
myself. Setting at least three new goals with each successive
painting, it must be better in design, value and temperature (color)
above all else. Those reasons change once again if the painting
is a commissioned one. The client is my partner and I must be
flexible and use the input of information given to me by that
person. After the completion and delivery of a portrait, it is
relaxing and a renewal process for me to do large, abstract pieces to
loosen up. Murals and/or theater sets have been the
prescription I have usually used.
She did not find time to get involved with theater
arts, either on stage or behind the scenes, after moving to Longview
and she missed that venue.
Since moving back to the Brazosport area in 2006,
she has gradually gotten involved, once more, with Center Stages.
The first project was the floor for The Odd Couple and floor for The
Elizabethan Madrigal Feast. She has enjoyed returning to this
venue.
In 1997 Sherry received a grant from the Texas Commission of the Arts
to paint an outdoor mural in Marshall, Texas for the Harrison County
Boys and Girls Club facility. The summer of 2000 saw yet another
commission for a mural at a business in Longview. Her work
can be seen at:
Deb’s Downtown Café...............103 W.
Tyler.......(mural)...............Longview, Tx.
One Horse Gallery......................207 W.
Commerce............Gladewater, Tx.
Image Gallery at
ArkLaTex Color Labs......325 S High Street....Longview, Tx.
Murals in the homes of:
Mr.
and Mrs. Davis Whitehurst.....Longview
Dr.
and Mrs. Mark Hamer.............Longview
Dr. and Mrs. David L.
Brown....Longview
Sherry’s paintings are in private collections in the state of
Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas,
Georgia, Florida, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, Canada an
Switzerland. She has numerous paintings in corporate collections,
including Dow Chemical Company, Phillips Petroleum and in businesses
all along the Texas and Louisiana coast line.
Sherry accepts commissions, teaches classes in her studio and on
Thursdays at the Brazosport Center for the Arts and Sciences Studio and
conducts
workshops in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana.
She won the 2007 Brazosport Art League Juried Open Show.
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Contact
Sherry Hall Shelton,
979 265-2690
sheltonstudio at usawide.net
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format used to prevent Email address harvesting for Spam)
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