“Flora”
“Genesis”
“Handiwork”
“Trying to Understand”
“Forget It”
“Mystery”
ARTIST BIO
From an early age Sheryl Sherwood could be found painting and drawing. As she grew, there were many teachers of the visual arts that expanded her love for creating. Working and raising a family, however, curtailed Sheryl’s creative side a bit, but she never lost the passion to learn. Through the years she attended classes and workshops until she finally retired and was able to dabble in the arts again. Following a workshop with a local potter, Sheryl found her passion. She states that “working in clay is very freeing. The clay takes on a life of its own and it’s so exciting to be a part of that process.” Today she creates her pieces in her personal home studio.
Retired from two careers, Sheryl’s work experiences are deeply embedded in each organic clay piece. The first, an environmental agency, raised Sheryl’s awareness and appreciation for the world that has been put in our care. The second, as an elementary teacher of blind and visually impaired students at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida. In this career Sheryl taught students to use tactile forms to enhance their day-to-day learning and encouraged their own creativity in class and in the art club she co-sponsored.
Sheryl enjoys using a variety of clays in her work; red clay from Georgia and porcelain clay developed by a local potter. Her process for gaining coloring on the pieces includes pit firing, saggar firing, raku firing, and wood firing. Each of Sheryl’s uniquely designed clay pieces are hand-coiled and are intertwined with her life-experiences. Because of experience with blind and visually impaired children and adults, Sheryl’s goal is that every clay piece keeps its most organic form, while including movement, texture, and carvings for visual and tactile appeal.
Sheryl is currently represented by Art Collective St. Augustine and PAStA Fine Art Gallery . Her work has also been exhibited in the Haskell Gallery at Jacksonville International Airport and the FEMArt Gallery, Jacksonville; First Coast Cultural Center, Ponte Vedra; and St. Augustine Art Association. Sheryl has also been featured in Loving Our Town Magazine, Canvas Rebel, and Voyage Jacksonville.