Sharon Mark

BIO

Sharon (Somerville) Mark was born in 1955 and grew up in Hemmingford, in southwest Quebec, where she still makes her home. She was interested in art from a very early age, influenced by her maternal grandmother, Clara Merlin, who painted landscapes in oils. While never formally trained in art, she has worked hard to refine and mature her technique and style over the years. Sharon got back into painting in the early 1980's following the birth of her two daughters. While they were napping, she found the time to draw and paint in acrylics. A self-taught artist, Sharon was always attracted to the landscape. She enjoys painting tranquil country scenes, often with people and animals, in a naive style. She is highly influenced by the area around where she lives, the farmlands, apple orchards, old stone houses, historic barns, fields and streams littered across the Canadian countryside. Visits to the Charlevoix and Maritime regions have also inspired her paintings. Her paintings evoke a nostalgic emotion, portraying an innocent world free of troubles and worries. She likes to paint happy, sunny scenes with children at play. Sharon's work also depicts a romantic view of family life, a time where chores and responsibilities are shared with free time to pursue one's hobbies and playtime. She paints with a focus on the scene as a whole rather than attending to the details, which results in works that exude comfort and wellbeing, allowing you to place yourself in the scene and soak it all in. Sharon continues to be inspired by the countryside, with walks and car trips around her area with her husband Dan. She prefers to work from her home studio, especially in the long winter months. Her work today appears in galleries across Canada.
 

ARTWORK