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Aspiring artist uses lessons learned at Arts and Crafts Center

  • Published
  • By Becky Pillifant
  • 72nd Force Support Squadron Marketing
From crayons to oils, aspiring artist Janet Sherry expresses herself through a wide variety of artistic media, including photography, digital imaging, oil painting, pottery and Japanese Haiku poetry. Haiku is a Japanese verse form, rendered in English as three unrhymed lines of five, seven and five syllables.

Her creative energy was refined under the watchful eyes of her high school art teacher. In college, the written and spoken word became her major vehicle of expression.

The former Marine Corps officer, registered nurse and trial lawyer began expanding her creative realm in 2000 when she and her husband, Michael, started taking basic drawing and oil painting classes at the Tinker Arts and Crafts Center. The Sherrys found this to be a great way to relieve stress, do something together and have fun. Art classes at the center are taught by Gaylon Thompson, one of Oklahoma's 100 Centennial Artists.

"As I have continued life's journey, where once I might have spent hours searching for the perfect single word to express my thoughts, I found myself discovering personal satisfaction and self-identity through visual artistic endeavors," Mrs. Sherry said. "As the world in general, and my chosen professions in particular, acquired new methods and means of communication, I incorporated instructive drawings, graphic and photographic images and finally computer-aided visual arts in my communication repertoire."

Capturing a moment in time with a photographic snapshot can lead to a variety of artistic creations done in a variety of medias, as can be seen by visiting Mrs. Sherry's Web site at www.theartographer.com. Her latest works are currently on exhibit at the Norman Performing Arts Studio through Sept. 27.

Mrs. Sherry currently enjoys working with digital photography and experimenting in artistic ways to manipulate images that create a feeling of emotion and a look that is appealing to her artistry. She also loves working with oils on canvas, because it stays wet longer and is easier to blend. This allows her to create greater depth, time to think about color and techniques she can use to apply the paint. She also knits and crochets, paints with acrylics on glass, does pottery and picture framing.

Mrs. Sherry said she has several favorite subjects she likes to paint.

"I like animals, landscapes, still life and portraits," she said, adding that her favorite artists are Impressionist.

Mrs. Sherry's photographic prints and oil paintings have won awards and been exhibited in Fort Smith Art Center Annual Photography and Art Competitions; also at the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Zoo Photography competitions. She has enjoyed successful solo exhibitions of painting and photography at Rock Creek Vineyard's Midsummer's Eve and the Art of Yoga Studio and Gallery in the Oklahoma City Paseo Arts District.

For information on art classes offered on base, call the Arts and Crafts Center at 734-5615.