About sharongilesart
A former medical librarian and online researcher, I have always been interested in art. There's two major parts to my life: the artistic side and the techie side.
My artistic training includes basic courses in college and local classes with with prominent artists: Cecy Turner, Naomi Brotherton, Maureen Brouillette, etc, Plus numerous workshops with local and nationally-known artists.
My art interests include water media, collage, mixed media, marbling and printmaking (usually with a gelli plate.) I've also experimented with oils, encaustics, and pastels. I've taught classes and workshops in my major interests.
I've been awarded Signature Status from the Society of Watercolor Artists, Southwestern Watercolor Society, and the Texas & Neighbors Regional Art Exhibition. My artwork has also won numerous awards in local competitions.
My artwork has been on exhibit in such venues as the Trinity Arts Guild Gallery, Fort Worth Central Library, UNT Health Science Center Atrium Gallery, Jaycee Park Center for the Arts, the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Center Gallery, Irving Arts Center, the Eisemann Center Gallery, and many others.
As a librarian, I was fortunate to be immersed in information technology from the beginning of the digital age. I worked primarily as a database searcher for libraries in the University of Texas System: Southwestern Medical Center and UT Arlington.
When the internet age dawned, I taught basic HTML to help people create web pages.Then over time, I replaced coding wth more sophisticated front ends for programming (like Wordpress).
I'm currently the webmaster (along with Nancy Friedel) for ArtNewsDFW.com, a visual arts resource for the North Texas area. The website is devoted to news of art events hosted by nonprofit visual art groups in the North Texas area plus news about local artists. Find out about exhibits, meetings, art instruction, art festivals, and opportunities for artists. You can also subscribe to daily or weekly email newsletters for free. We also have a Facebook page, a Facebook group and a Twitter feed (@artnewsdfw).
I am the longtime webmaster for the Irving Art Association. I have also provided web support for the Society of Watercolor Artists in Fort Worth, the Southwestern Watercolor Society in Dallas and Texas Visual Art Association (TVAA) in Dallas.
I am reconfiguring my empty Etsy shop and adding prints for sale. It even has a new name too: ArtbySharonGiles — see it at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtbySharonGiles.
Since I’ve been madly producing art for the last few years, this is great opportunity to show off the new additions to my portfolio as well as my golden oldies. I’ve accumulated quite a bit of cat-themed art, so I am starting off with that. Then florals, landscapes and abstracts. And maybe even producing art specifically for the Etsy shop.
I’m starting with 8.5×10 letter size prints, using my ink jet on archival matte paper – so whatever I print must fit this format. This also gives me the freedom to print details instead of whole images.
This is a detail of “Tabbies in the Garden”, which has been accepted into Irving Art Association’s 14th Annual Wildlife and Domestic Animal Juried Art Competition. It will be on display during September.
I’ll be teaching a set of free basic classes in October for the Irving Art Association.
The Free Basics Classes follow a progressive sequence where you will learn basic skills via instructor demo/lecture — exercise —-practice. The series is designed for beginners to a particular art medium as well as mid career artists reviewing technique and not forcreating finished works. Expect traditional as well as new and nontraditional materials and approaches.
Enrollment is limited, so register early. For more details, see http://irvingartassociation.org/2015/08/free-basic-classes-in-gelli-printing-by-sharon-giles/
This is a detail of “Tabbies in the Garden”, which has been accepted into Irving Art Association’s 14th Annual Wildlife and Domestic Animal Juried Art Competition. It will be on display during September.
Sharon Giles Art 