'I'd
always been artistic, so when I moved to Arizona, it was like finding my spiritual
home. There's just so much spirituality in the tribes' cultures
and art - every line, every brush stroke, has a purpose. Nothing is there
by chance, and for the Native American Indians, the deity, or "god force"
governs everything they do, and is reflected in their art forms. In
that belief system, God, or at least their equivalent, is all or nothing.
For me, coming from Texas, which like much of the US, is driven solely by commerce and the need to make a dollar, seemed such a contrast, a great way to live your life. The experience was so nourishing for me as an artist, and as someone who has always aspired to a more spiritual, simpler way of life.
'That spirituality lives on in Native American art to this day, and I like to incorporate elements of the tribes' cultures in my work. At first I painted pictures, later moving on to working with leather and beads - I make some of the medicine bags we have for sale - and I think one of the first things people notice about this type of art is the bold use of color throughout.'
During
her 12 years in Arizona, Sharon absorbed the local culture from a number of
Indian elders, learning the significance of the symbols, colors, designs and
every other elements which combined to render Native American art much more
than mere artifice.
'Spirituality is also what makes me feel so "at home".
As well as Indian American art, I've studied a great deal about Celtic
art and can see many parallels between the two cultures.
MEMBERS
OF IACA (Indian Arts & Crafts Association)