The Curator's Eye

Fruits of Therapy | Sharon Carr, painter

Six and a Half Pears, 2008, oil on canvas, 22 x 30 inches

When I think about the paintings by Sharon Carr, what stands out is the vibrancy and intense color.

Sharon can focus on simple objects, like seven pears, to make a broader comment on the beauty of nature. The layers of color and highlights make the pears virtually glow. There is a richness, a warmth created by the vibrant yellows and oranges and the earthy tones of brown. She creates a sense of movement with contrasting cool blue tones in the background and bold strokes of intense yellow in the foreground. The bright reflections are as interesting as the main subject and draw the eye around the entire painting, picking up the hints of icy blue.

Sharon has not always been an artist. In fact, not until her fifties did she discover her hidden talent and retire from her job as a psychotherapist. Her work in some ways is still therapeutic.

But once she discovered oils, there was no turning back. She discovered how she could capture intense colors and was hooked. She plays with light and color. She enjoys drama.

— Carolyn Burt