Sharon Covington from Arlington, Texas creates mixed media art that explores the fluctuating relationship between nature and culture. Her artwork has evolved to further discern how this relationship becomes an integral part of one’s identity. “Why I love exploring these issues in a visual manner, is because of my need to question and understand my own identity,” she says. “Very often the creative process is the key to who I am,” she continues. “The creative act for me involves focusing not only on paint but materials derived from nature and cultural artifacts such as maps or postcards of famous works of art. By manipulation of these materials through the creative process, I come to an understanding of the things that influence me,” she acknowledges. “There has been a lot of anguish that drives my art, as well as excitement, yet self-discovery in the end becomes the sweetest reward,” Sharon states. By the late 1990s, Sharon began experimenting with digital painting using similar imagery. “It seemed like a natural direction for me, perhaps because of my early background in the field of graphic arts,” she said.

Her artwork is greatly influenced by Van Gogh’s expressive use of color and Wassily Kandinsky’s dynamic abstract shapes. Sharon articulates, “Van Gogh’s use of color applied straight out of the tube made his brushwork come alive with pattern and texture, which I greatly admire. Kandinsky’s bravery in completely letting go of representational subject matter allowed his paintings to become visually dynamic. I admire his use of shape and color, in what seems to be best described as, continual motion. It has the effect of completely integrating positive with negative space.” This fascination with positive negative space is reflected in her own compositions as she aims toward achieving her personal vision.

The style of Sharon’s art could be described as postmodern. “It’s postmodern in that I value subjective experience and personal exploration as a source for understanding. One might say I value questioning more than answers,” she states. Asking questions, testing boundaries, and determining truth for one self are postmodern notions that relate closely to the lives we live every day.

Sharon currently teaches art and design at Tarrant County College Southeast as an Assistant Professor of Art, making skillful use of her artistic knowledge. There is a definite strategy to her effective teaching: “It takes building a rapport, a great deal of patience, and a little humor whenever necessary,” she admits as a two time winner of the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award from Wade’s College located in the Dallas Market Center. She finds teaching very rewarding because she enjoys the interaction with her students; something she doesn’t have the opportunity to experience while in the studio.

Sharon holds a Master of Fine Arts from University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Louisiana State University, both with a special emphasis in painting and drawing. “I was fortunate in receiving fellowships during my graduate study at North Texas,” she replied, “otherwise I could not have accomplished my life-long goal.”