ARTIST STATEMENT
We live in an era of sampling. We pick and choose, select and reject from the social media images we carry in our pockets. Our conversations echo what we watch as worldwide political, environmental, and financial turbulence overlap and entwine. We spin from serious to inconsequential, until we wonder who we are and where we are going with all this information. Collage reflects this multi-layering quality of the moment we live in.
As a photographer, I have taken thousands of images. The act of cutting apart my photographs to create collages was a natural progression. This led to the irreverent joy I take in cutting into sacred and honored works of art. My source materials are wide-ranging from fine art books, sleek photography books, coquettish magazines from the 1918’s to trashy French fashion magazines. There are no limits when creating a collage, but for me, a good story told is always the goal. The titles of my finished collages are important. I read quite a bit and have saved favorite lines from books and articles. Using these saved quotes as titles feels like another layer of the collage.
In this show at Harlequin Theatre, you will see examples of the subjects that occupy my mind: misogyny looms large, as well as politics, aging, travel, and humor. I’ve also included a few of my embroidered pieces. I like the playfulness of adding the color and texture of thread.
I have been active in the arts communities of Tacoma and Olympia. My work is shown at numerous gallery shows each year. In Olympia my work has been accepted into the Southwest Washington Juried Exhibitions in 2018 and 2019. In Tacoma my work has been juried into the yearly shows at The Gallery of Tacoma Community College, the University of Puget Sound Altered Book shows, Feast Art Center, Washington State Convention Center among others.
I have received the City of Tacoma’s Artist Initiative Program grant in 2011 and for 2020. I will have a solo show of my work in June at the Milk Gallery in the Alma Mater Art Center, Tacoma. As part of my TAIP grant, I will organize collage workshops in Tacoma during the 2020 year.
Visit Sharon’s website at sharon-styer.com, or contact her over email at sharon@sharonstyer.com or via phone at 253.332.6816.
Welcome, Sharon!
