Sharon Malley

Sharon grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay region has exerted a strong influence on the artist, through the natural beauty of the interplay of sea, sky, wetlands, fields, and forests. She maintains a deep spiritual connection to the environment, and a profound concern for the loss of habitat, species, and issues of climate change. Her abstract paintings and small collages are an expression of that concern.

Sharon’s narrative paintings depict events that occurred while playing with children of migrant and tenant workers on her grandparents’ farm. Through play the children learned about each other and how the world of grown-ups saw them as different. The artist’s intention is to process and educate while telling a visual story, that the past very much decides the future, and that only through understanding can we move forward in a positive equitable direction. The paintings have sparked thoughtful dialogue from viewers.

Working in oil on canvas, Sharon begins many paintings with an underpainting of acrylic and collaged papers. Small oil paintings are on wood panels, some with cold wax medium. She incorporates stamping, stenciling, and repeat designs in various works. She also creates small paper collages on pressed board.

Sharon’s professional and academic pursuits in disabilities include a doctorate in education with a focus on arts and special education. She has contributed to a national agenda through her work at the Kennedy Center and independently through publications and workshops.

She is currently a member of Touchstone Gallery in Washington, DC. Work is available through Touchstone Gallery and by visiting her website. Feel free to get in touch to see her work in person!