About
About Me
The Artwork:
I have been an artist all of my life...but just started creating and showing my work in 2007. I have been active in the Washington, DC fine art community since 2005 when I started curating a variety of art exhibitions at local galleries and art spaces across town under the name of Authentic Contemporary Art and blogging about the art world in the DC area that year which became quite popular.
Since then, I have taken studio art classes from The Torpedo Factory (Arlington, Virginia), Montpelier Arts Center (Laurel, Maryland), Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore, Maryland) and Harmony Hall Regional Arts Center (Fort Washington, Maryland).
My artwork has been shown in juried exhibitions, galleries and alternative art spaces in the following cities: New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Columbia, Maryland, Silver Spring, Maryland, Washington, DC, Lofton, Virginia and Atlanta, Georgia. Her work can be found in private collections in Atlanta, Washington, DC and other places across the country.
The Poetry
Poetry has always been a part of my creative expression since I was 10 or 11 years old. I wrote song lyrics as a young person but they were never put to music (except in my head). I abandoned this kind of writing shortly after college. The poetry came back to me in 2018-2019 after dealing with a profound life lesson.
In 2019, I wrote a chapbook of my work entitled Moon Rising in Capricorn and started sharing my poetry to small audiences and a few open mics. In 2021, I became a member of the Kaleidoscope Poetry Collective, a virtual poetry group which was facilitated by DC-based writer/poet/journalist, jonetta rose barras, CEO of Esther Productions, Inc. In 2022, the Esther Books (a division of Esther Productions, Inc.) published the poetry anthology,Kaleidoscope: Women of Color Reflecting on Life which includes four of my original poems.
What I Believe In
I have a strong interest in the human condition and currently focus on advocacy for at-risk youth, older adults, veterans, caregivers and women who have experienced trauma and feel that creative activities such as art is a way of healing. I volunteer and contribute my art for a variety of causes focusing on the socially or economically disadvantaged.
What I Love
-I am a sucker for Classic Rock, Old School Rap/Hip Hop/R&B, and classic and contemporary Jazz. You can find almost any of those genres playing in my studio or car.
-Yoga, hiking and Soul Collage are three of my favorite ways to relax and restore myself.
-The butterfly is my personal symbol that I feel represents my personal and professional goals.
-I can almost live on good coffee, jasmine or darjeeling tea alone.
-I am a wannabe wine connoisseur.
-I enjoy visiting African American and Native American historical sites across the country.
Who Inspires Me
Artists such as Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Bettye Saar, Lorna Simpson, and Renee Stout, inspire me as an artist.
Poets and writers such as my cousin Dr. Sandra Wilson, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Warsan Shire, Mary Oliver, and Nayyirah Waheed.
Official Bio
Sharon J. Burton is an artist, art curator, author, poet and certified creative coach and Founder of Spark Your Creative based in the Washington, DC area. She is a visual artist whose preferred medium is collage and mixed media and has exhibited her art in galleries, art venues and other settings across the country since 2007. Sharon has curated a number of art exhibitions in the Washington, DC area since 2006 and has served as an art consultant for novice art collectors.
Since 2016, she has focused on helping people in "creative recovery"...those looking to revive or jump start their creativity through group and individual coaching, workshops, her blog and as the host of Spark Your Creative Podcast which features artists and other creatives who are using their unique talents to create more mindful communities and a safer world.
Sharon is the author of Creative Sparks: 21 Affirmations and Inspiration for Creativity at Midlife (Swiner Publishing Company, 2024) which is a guidebook for artists and others who want to launch their creative passions after 50.
Sharon has served as a Teacher Artists through Art Works Now, Artomatic, and Del Ray Artisans.
When she is not working or creating, you can find her hiking in the forests along the East Coast or indulging in Artist's Dates to museums, cafes or spending quality time with her calico cat, Athena.
Photo: Aaron Davis