By Sharon Sperry Bloom
Under Your Voodoo, 27″x 22.5″acrylic on stretched canvas, painting © 2007 by Sharon Sperry Bloom. All rights reserved.
Vloop, 18″x 24″acrylic on stretched canvas, painting © 2007
by Sharon Sperry Bloom. All rights reserved.
Untitled, 20″x 16″acrylic on stretched canvas, painting © 2007 by Sharon Sperry Bloom. All rights reserved.
War, 18″x 24″acrylic on stretched canvas, painting © 2007
by Sharon Sperry Bloom. All rights reserved.
“Love & Happiness,” 18″x 24″acrylic on stretched canvas, painting
© 2007 by Sharon Sperry Bloom. All rights reserved.
Making Art, An Essay by Sharon Sperry Bloom
When I was a young child, I took ballet. Not to the level of standing on point, but there were recitals at the elementary school multi-purpose room and my mom sewed costumes with fluffy tutus and glued sequins on ballet slippers. I never got to be in the front row of my group. It wasn’t because of poor technique; I could plié like nobody’s business. I just couldn’t remember the sequence of steps. I was a follower in ballet – a back row ballerina.
One recital we all had itchy gold costumes with red-trimmed tutus and red plastic flowers in our hair. The music was vaguely Spanish. During recital, those flowers flew right off my head. After our dance, the instructor and my parents were beaming at me. Me! From the back row! They were full of praise because I ignored the errant flowers and kept my chin high as I continued my performance. Truth is, I never noticed the flying blooms.
The ballet lessons ended when my dad was laid off from his job with General Motors. Dad worked as a technical writer, and I can remember him changing jobs every few years. Sometimes he wrote owner’s manuals for cars; other times he wrote specifications for army tanks. Once he had a big glass-walled office in a tall building, and my brother and I got to visit him there and watch cars and trucks go around on the freeway interchange below.
Mom told me years later she worried I would be upset about not being able to continue with ballet lessons. Truth is, I never noticed.
These were the days before we had soccer. I was always doing something though. There were swimming lessons, from Guppies and Minnows all the way on to synchronized swimming. Brownies and Juniors and Girl Scouts. Piano lessons all the way through Grade 4, the Brown Book. And finally, art.
In middle school, someone told my folks about a woman a couple of miles away teaching young teens drawing and painting in her basement. Mrs. Marinello had about 6 of us at her home after supper on Tuesday nights. We drew and painted, and each of us worked at our own speed. She supplied all the paper and paints and props.
This lady was a beautiful, talented artist whose work hung in big museums and private collections and she loved sharing her time with kids. She painted intricate hunt scenes showing dozens of people on horseback with black-and-white dogs in lush woods. The paintings were gorgeous and huge. She always hid the fox in the foliage.
I painted a little in high school but never really got along with the art teacher there. I should have had art classes in architecture school, yet weaseled out of them by showing my portfolio to my advisor. My last paintings were on the walls of my parents’ basement where I later set up a studio while in architecture school. They were mainly doodles, some nudes, a Buddha, the logo from Woodstock, and one giant copy of the album cover “Quadrophenia,” which I did all in Payne’s Gray (more a deep blue/black color than gray).
I satisfied my artistic side in other ways over the years. But I never threw away my paints. Early this year I got them out again and started painting. I could not believe how great it felt. At first it was awkward, but talking about it with other artists helped me work through the weirdness.
I am trying to lose some of the perfectionism of my architecture career and embrace more serendipity in my work; hence, most of my work is abstract. That is not to say it is random paint on canvas. It’s just that rather than create something dependent on outside constructs and limits, I let the design come from the painting itself.
It’s a technique a good friend and talented artist taught me: step back and see what the painting has to say, then elaborate on it. I’m starting to get it. And I really enjoy it.
About Sharon: In the ten months that Sharon has rediscovered painting, she produced 22 paintings — while holding down a full-time job! You can see all of her paintings on her Flickr account, bloomgal.
Sharon will join other artists at the Black Market Goods art show in Albuquerque on October 20. Black Market Goods is organized by Josh Jones, whose motto is “Bad ass art for bad ass people.”
These are dynamic, emerging artists whose work will tantalize and inspire. If you live in Albuquerque, get yourself to the show. Support art and artists in this city.
redravine.wordpress.com 
Sharon, these are stunning. I love the contrast between the complexity, layering, and depth of the first painting. And the simplicity of the last.
The part of your essay where you talk about letting the paintings speak to you reminds me of the woodcarvers that study a piece of wood and let it tell them where to make the cuts and what form the piece will take. Quite Zen.
I have a question – it sounds like you are trying to get away from the perfectionism of architecture in your painting, yet there must be a few positive things about architecture that show up in your paintings. I’m thinking about this because I have a friend who is a graphic designer and I can see the design elements in her abstract paintings.
What elements of architecture, if any, do you feel make it on to your canvases?
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Confidence. The confidence I got from being a woman in what is largely a man’s field. Not being afraid to try things. I like that there are really no mistakes in painting. There are no rules. I find a lot of artists don’t feel the same way and that’s crippling for them. That confidence is something I had to build up in my career.
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I can relate to that, Sharon, because I feel like I bring a lot of maturity to my art today that I didn’t have before. (Even though my art is sometimes so goofy.) And that maturity (some of which is confidence in just getting myself out there) comes from working in a world where you do or die.
I wanted to say, QM, that I saw Sharon’s canvases up close and personal when I went to help pick out the paintings to feature in the blog. They *are* stunning. And I noticed, Sharon, how you’re moving to bigger and bigger canvases.
I loved many of the pieces, and especially the two latest ones (Under Your Voodoo and “Love & Happiness”). I’m also impressed by how many paintings you’ve done. Do you paint every day? On weekends? Can you share a bit about how you make time?
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Hey, Sharon. Also, do you find people who go into architecture are really artists who have a pragmatic side? Reason I ask is because I wanted to be an architect (and then got scared away by the UNM architecture program — I couldn’t find my classes!). But also, I’m thinking of your office mate (Larry??) who made those gorgeous pieces hanging in your building.
(Oye, Larry, trying to get you to comment now, since you had so much to say about Moses on the sidewalk.)
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Sometimes I just grab and hour or two when the house is *magically* empty of people for some reason. It doesn’t happen too often with my son, his wife, and their baby girl staying with my husband and me right now, but that’s okay. We have so much fun together! Sometimes I paint with everyone home. They don’t seem to mind – sometimes they watch. They do run and hide when I’m banging together canvases – that makes a lot of noise.
Occasionally, I paint at night when the house quiets down and everyone goes to bed, but that’s hard because I like to listen to music and I do tend to talk to myself and poor Bill sleeps in the next room. He’s a saint.
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I see Moses everywhere these days. Art is the only medium that I have found lately that is for yourself and no one else. I does not have to be right or wrong it just is. Like Moses !!1
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YB – there are a lot of artistic folk in architecture! Larry is a prime example. Jim See is an Albuquerque architect who is an accomplished photographer, and also works in this same building!
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You guys in that building could have your own show. Just for yourselves. But invite me, too.
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Sharon — Wonderful essay … a little biographical sketch of the evolution of your creativity. It reminded me of all the arts and lessons that I was exposed to as a child. I liked how you spoke of your immediate love for painting and then chronicled its “disappearance” and “reemergence” in your life. Gives me hope that its never too late to re-discover a dormant talent or passion.
Your ballet story and description of being a “back row ballerina” reminded me that as an adult, I signed-up for ballet. They didn’t have more advanced classes for adults, so they put me in a class with junior high kids (I was in my 20’s.) Of course, they expected me tp perform in the recital…chartreuse tutu and sequined belt…and they put me in the FRONT ROW, because I could remember the sequence. It is the only time in my life that I remember being a front row ballerina, and it felt embarrassing, not rewarding. My husband came to watch the recital. I never took a ballet class after that.
Your paintings are powerful. There is a lot of peace in your painting on war, which reminds me of a teaching from Pema Chodron. She says that in order to really know about something, you must become very familiar with its opposite. To really know about peace, you must become very familiar with war. Your painting does that. It is titled, “War,” but peace is there also. It holds both.
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Breathpeace – I love that you took ballet with the kids. Why not? My physician is taking ice skating with her young daughter and is the only adult in her class. She is enjoying the hell out of it, even though the other parents sometimes can leave her feeling self-conscious. “I’d like to try that, but I’d feel foolish out there with the kids”. Sometimes we have to step out of our comfortable lives to find ourselves. I like to challenge myself with new things. It makes people crazy sometimes!
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Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I know her when…..
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Well, my love, I cant say how proud I am that I do know you now, ya know? No?
Enough!
I did not know that you took dance and did all that other girl scout troup stuff. I do know that you are one very motivated individual. Your art is so natural its like effortless.
I love it. I must say that it has been rather inspiring to see you just create. Its marvalous.
Referencing you bio–I think its important to explore….there are too many of us who don’t. Your exploration of dance and other artistic endeavours have taught you that its ok to take a risk.
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I love it that you have given yourself permission to set your own parameters for making art. Have you considered making paintings part of your architectural work, embedding images in structures and wall skins? G
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reborn – i luv yer gutz!
suburbanlife – that’s a current trend in architecture and I one think Predock is using on the new UNM architecture building here in albuquerque. Building owners typically don’t want their buildings to be ‘dated’ with images, and I can’t say I blame them. I don’t work on the design side any more. More recently, I worked on the owner’s side, for Detroit Public Schools. One of our new schools installed a big video screen in a two-story school lobby for projection of art, etc. I think the school is mostly using it for their daily in-house news broadcast.
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To clarify – What I heard is going on at the architecture building here is that there will computer projection on one wall surface. The original plans had included a much bigger, digital media extravaganza of some sort, but well, reality and budget set in, as they often do.
Breathpeace – Thanks for mentioning Pema Chodron. I am enjoying reading up on her.
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Sharon, your art is stunning! I don’t know too much about art, but I like what I see. I have viewed many of your art work on flickr. I plan to attend the art show which displays your work on Oct 20th.
I’m glad you decided to paint again and I’m looking forward to seeing more of your art in the futre.
-Jana
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breathepeace, front row ballerina, I had no idea!
Sharon, I like the part of your essay about the inspiration of Mrs. Marinello and how she always hid the fox in the foliage. 8)
I’m wondering about how you come to price your work. I’ve struggled with the pricing part of art myself. And I sometimes help other artists to price their work. There is the part where we want our art to sell. And then the other part, where we don’t want to undersell ourselves and charge too little for our work. With supplies and labor and framing, it can get very expensive to be an artist.
How does that process work for you? And do you have any insights or tips about pricing for other painters or artists who want to sell their work?
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Do you still have the logo from Woodstock, and the giant copy of the album cover “Quadrophenia,” in Payne’s Gray? I bet you could sell them on ebay. 8)
Last question for me (I think)…I’m always curious about mediums. Do you prefer acrylic over oil? And, if so, can you talk about that and a little about your technique.
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QM – I am just beginning the process of pricing my work. It is difficult. For me it is partly the amount of time I spent on a piece, and how much or little I want to let it go. Right now, I know I can’t ask too much because I’m just starting out. But art is real work, and I’m not giving it away, either. A couple of people have asked about Vloop, and I’m going to price it at $300 at the show next weekend. It is not framed and it is on a store-bought canvas. I would ask more if I had built the canvas and if it were framed.
Your right about the expenses. When I was in college, I worked in art stores to offset the cost of drafting supplies. That may not be a bad idea now.
I choose to paint with acrylic for a couple of reasons. One, they clean up with water. I’m kind of a messy painter and tend to get paint everywhere and clean-up is important. Two, the turpentines and thinners and what-have-yous that oils require tend to have odors that I’m a bit sensitive to.
Alas, those Woodstock and Quadrophenia paintings were on the concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls of my parents’ basement. They got painted over when they moved about 20 years ago. Some future archeologist may find them…..
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LOL. I wonder what those archaeologists will think of Woodstock.
Thanks for sharing so candidly about price. You hit on two important points – how long the artist has been around. And labor put into materials. I am glad you are not giving your work away for too little.
There are so many things to consider, some subjective like attachment to the piece and whether or not it’s important to sell now or simply get your name out there. I wish you the best with your show. I think you’ll do quite well.
I used to get paint all over me, too. And I had a painting shirt and jeans that were covered in layers of color. In my book, a messy painter is a happy painter.
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I had hoped to talk with the Black Market Goods organizer before posting this piece, but time got away. You went to one of those shows before, right Sharon? It sounds pretty fun. How many pieces can you have at the show?
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It’s very fun. Very high energy. A lot of young, talented artists. I can show as much as I want. I’ll have about 10 feet or so of wall space between a couple of other artists. There will be music and folks selling clothing and last time I went there was body painting. There will be a fashion show as well.
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Absolutely beautiful… the use of colour is breathtaking. That first one kept bring me back to this page, over and over.
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The first one is gorgeous, isn’t it? It goes well with our masthead ; – ).
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Does anyone want to share what they see in the first painting? Or what it makes them think about? Just curious.
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Great art work! In the first painting, I initially saw a flower fading into fall but then it made me think of a bird learning to fly.
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I think about movement in that first painting. I think of writing, and a certain era of writers (James Baldwin, for example). I might see a reluctant dove in the center, and the shapes are alive and moving, organic.
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Cool stuff! I wish I could be there.
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I love the bright colours of those paintings! I wish I could go to that art show! 🙂
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Thanks guys. I wish you could ALL be there. I’d love to meet everyone.
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Regarding the first painting, it looks like hands to me, not wings, and suggests an embrace. I noticed the repetition of threes, the small dark triangle and the three spheres, which I see as heads. To me, it looks like someone is holding others close, in a tender way…like planets held in the solar system.
Have a wonderful show. Wish I could be there, too.
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You good kid! Write well too.
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Yesterday as I zipped back and forth through the blog, I kept stopping on “Love & Happiness.” Something about the background drew me to it. It’s so creamy and rich. Like I wanted to drink it in.
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I am often drawn to the first one. There is a richness to the colors and layering of forms that really draws me in. It is dark and light, shadow and form.
Sharon, I meant to ask, are they posted in the chronological order you painted them in? Which is most indicative of the style you are painting in today? This seems to change for artists over time. (And thanks for being our guest.)
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QM, War is the oldest in the group, along with Vloop and Untitled, which are practically twins in terms of birthdays. Those three are from my first couple months at it. I painted War in a motel room while on a road trip for work. Under Your Voodoo and Love and Hapiness are the newest and were done in September and October. I would say Under You Voodoo is most indicative of the style I wish to paint in, but I can’t say for sure that’s where I’ll go. Each canvas seems to pull me somewhere else. Right now I think I’d like to do another Vloop-ish painting. (And I loved being on your blog – you guys are a lot of fun!)
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Oh, cool. I like knowing you painted War in a motel room while on a road trip for work. It’s indicative of your practice and commitment to your art – you do it wherever you are. ybonesy often does some of her drawings on the road, too. Making the best use of every minute of time.
It’s great that you are experimenting with all forms and styles. I experimented with everything around photography and handwashed images before landing on what I loved in that medium. It’s fun. And teaches about layering, form, light. Can’t wait to see where your work takes you!
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Good luck, tonight, bloomgal! Break a leg. I’ll be going tonight to the “October birthdays” party, but I hope to zip up later to the show. (You’re a hoot, girl! On the blog and off.)
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So of course the night before the show I dreamt that when I arrived to set up my art the organizer had no record of my wanting to be in the show and had no room for me to set up.
Silly, huh? Well, when Bill and I got there, Josh was not there, but he had marked each section of wall with the artist’s name. I walked around twice – no Sharon. I was on the verge of freaking out, but Bill found Josh’s notebook and saw a ‘Sophie Bloom’. I hung my art in the space marked Sophie. I sure hope nobody named Sophie shows up.
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Sharon, that’s really strange. You had that dream…then showed up to find there was no space set up for your work!? That’s a wild ride. So you actually hung your work in the space for Sophie Bloom, right? (That’s not a dream?) So what happened next? And how did the rest of the show go? I’m full of questions.
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Yep, I hung my work in the Sophie space. It was a great space, too. Real tall wall, near the front door, nothing crowding in on me. Another painter to my right – his stuff was more pictoral, sort of a cross between cartoony and tattoo-ish, and a photographer on my left – his was very provocative and slightly erotic. Apparently I was Sophie, because when I came back at show time all the rest of the artists were set up and I hadn’t been taken down.
The show was really great. These art parties are not like your typical gallery events. The music was pulsating, lots of people wore some crazy outfits, there was a fashion show that featured not only clothing but body art, and when actor Gary Farmer showed up scouting native american artists for his Santa Fe gallery, everyone pretended not to notice. It was over around midnight – about the most fun four hours I’ve had in a long time. I think I’ll do it again.
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I like the name Sophie Bloom. It’s a good stage name, or something a singer might have.
I wanted to provide a link to Gary Farmer, being as how I wanted to see a photo and see which films he’s been in. I esp liked the Wikipedia link, as it shows him with my favorite actor, Johnny Depp: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Farmer.
Cool that he was out scouting new artists who are Native American. Too bad some other NM-based actor (say, Shirley MacLaine??) wasn’t out scouting white-girl artists ; – ). Oops, did I say that out loud? (p.s., I hope to be discovered by Jennifer Lopez, since we resemble each other. HA!)
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Sharon, thanks for the update on the show. Sounds incredible. And Gary Farmer, too. It’s great that he was out scouting around for talent. Be sure to let us know about your next show. I bet it’s not long away.
ybonesy, I never thought I’d see Shirley and J.Lo in the same paragraph. 8) That’s got to be a first. Thanks for the link to Farmer. Cool photo of him and Depp, too. Did you see Dead Man? I haven’t seen it but now I want to. He was in Smoke Signals, too, which I remember won a ton of awards in the late 90’s.
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[…] Sharon Sperry Bloom is an artist living in New Mexico. She wrote this essay based on a writing practice inspired by red Ravine post, What Is Your Totem Animal?</a> You can see Sharon’s art and read about her creative process in the post Under Your Voodoo. […]
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[…] Under Your Voodoo by Sharon Sperry Bloom […]
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