Shari began her formal art education at Chapman University in Orange, California where in 1999 she received a BFA in Studio Art. In an effort to combine her passion for art with her academic interest in social science she went on to completed her Ph.D. in Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine in 2004. She studied the role of security measures in public space on perception of risk and fear of terrorist attack – it’s a long story!
With the exception of two years selling her ceramic sculptures at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach, California and a brief stint as a docent for Orange County’s temporary collection of Mark di Suvero sculptures, art took a back seat and she taught social science courses at Penn State University and subsequently transitioned to government service, where she had the opportunity to live overseas and spend ten years working with NATO and exploring Europe. Shari left her real job in 2015 to pursue art full time. She has since settled in Moab, Utah with her husband Tracy, and Civvy the rescue dog. You can find her original works at Gallery Moab, 59 South Main, and Tumbleweed, 31 North Main, in Moab.
Statement
Shari is a Moab, Utah based artist. Her mediums are clay and acrylic. On the surface her work is most easily described as colorful, bold, and playful. Shari says though she strives for simple and fun compositions, she also wants her work to have more than just a “pretty face”. She seeks a presence and purpose in her paintings. “Teeth”, she says, “for smiling, talking back, storytelling, and biting”. Her choice of subject varies, but there will always be more than meets the eye and you will often find a quirky backdrop of whimsically rendered iconic western landscapes.