Beth Sharpe {Paint}

About Beth Sharpe

 

I grew up in an old, drafty house that made for a generally happy home. I have two boisterous brothers and a slew of cousins that also grew up right down the road.  It was never a surprise to see a grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin coming through the door for a visit. They were usually accompanied by a four-legged creature.

 

After high school, I attended East Carolina University’s School of Art. I tried my hand at just about everything - photography, graphic design, ceramics - but finally found myself at home with a paint brush.  In 2005, I graduated with a BFA in Painting and Drawing. Since then I have moved back to Virginia, right back into the midst of family.  My husband and I are raising two boys (and a few chickens) on the same hillside where I was raised.

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Artist Statement

Some of my first memories are of wanting to be an artist. I spent many hours of my childhood creating images in my head that I thought I might paint when I grew up. Although I don’t exactly paint those images, nostalgic feelings for my childhood, home and family have become the foundation for my work.

 

With paint, I replicate photographs and keepsakes from a collection of antique family mementos. Before I begin, I spend time selecting a memento that evokes an untold story. I consider what it might have meant to the owner and also the meaning that it has for me now. I then create a composition that combines the significance I found and the one I imagine it had for the original owner. 

 

Nestled in my work and cradled with paint are family members that I love, many that I miss dearly, as well as some that I did not have a chance to know. I cherish each moment I spend with all of these relatives and their memories, both real and imagined.  

 

The goal of my work is to preserve these mementos while also making them accessible and relevant. I hope my paintings arouse memories of childhood and recollections of a happy and peaceful heritage.