Born to practical parents in a small, conservative Midwestern town, Shari Beaubien was urged to do something “worthwhile” with her life from an early age. But this was not to be. Always one to follow her heart, Shari left home at 19, willing her Ford Escort across the country in search of a life that allowed her creative spirit to flourish.
Not long after arriving on the sunny west coast, Shari obtained her Bachelor’s degree with a double-major in theatre and philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her college experiences on the stage would ignite a lifelong love affair with both art and its audience.
Today Shari prefers a quieter means of self-expression, trading in her pancake makeup and jazz shoes for acrylic paints and brushes. For subject matter, she never looks any further than the confines of her soul. Each canvas brings to life another piece of Shari’s life journey, allowing her to assume the roles of both playwright and actor. She finds this duality profoundly gratifying.
Rich, saturated colors characterize Shari’s paintings and reflect the strength of her beloved Southern California sun. A passion for texture declares itself in the surface detail. Whimsical, hopeful, and straight-from-the-heart, Shari’s award-winning work features a truly unique voice. Her pieces have found their way into the homes of collectors in several countries.
While Shari has been influenced by such greats as Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh, she remains a self-taught artist. Throughout her career every lesson has been hers to both teach and learn, making her numerous accolades that much more poignant. Shari’s artwork has been featured in galleries, juried competitions and art fairs across the country. In addition, she has been interviewed extensively and published in a wide range of books and magazines.
MP: Please tell us a little about yourself and the art you create.
Certainly and thank you for having me at MMCA, Debbie!
I am a self-taught mixed media artist living in Southern California. My soulful artwork documents fragments of my journey with countless layers of paint in rich, saturated colors. Through my unique voice, I am able to deliver an art experience that is whimsical, hopeful, and straight-from-the-heart.
MP: When working on a series of paintings, are there certain steps you do to all the paintings or do you work on one piece at a time?
I typically work on several paintings at once - usually three or four at a time. Each of my backgrounds is comprised of many layers of translucent paint. I find that getting one wet layer down and then moving onto the next canvas while the first dries proves to be the most effective use of my time.
MP: Is there a certain time of day that you find you're the most creative, and do you create daily? Do you ever get "blocked" and if so, how do you work through it?
Absolutely! I am most definitely a morning person. In fact, I’m typically up before six without an alarm clock. My biggest surge of energy comes before 11, so I try really hard to tackle my biggest painting passages during those hours.
In the afternoon when I don’t have as much gusto, I focus on answering emails, completing applications, writing statements, etc. I feel that it’s critically important to not only recognize your body’s natural rhythms, but also to work with them.
I do make an effort to create daily. Without a doubt, I feel my best when I am at my most productive. I’m not a machine though and my creativity comes from my heart. On the days where my heart’s just not into it, I try to be gentle with myself and give myself the rest I require.
Yes, I get blocked! LOL... It happens to the best of us, no? If I have the time, I let whatever piece is giving me a problem sit for a while. Oftentimes, I will work out issues when I least expect it - such as in my sleep or when using the elliptical trainer, for example. When facing a deadline, however, I try to work through things as best as I can, remembering that I’m only human and my best is all I can do. As a last resort, there’s always gesso... And don’t think I haven’t used it to completely obliterate a canvas and start over!
MP: What are two art supplies you don't think you could live without and why?
I couldn’t live without my Golden Fluid Acrylic paints because the experts at Golden have somehow magically managed to achieve a high degree of translucency yet maintain a powerful color load as well. They’re fabulous! Not to mention, Golden truly cares about the artists using their products. They have specialists available to answer questions, they welcome artist feedback, and they truly take to heart our needs as professionals. I feel completely supported by them as a company.
I also couldn’t bear to be without my Utrecht gesso. It’s thick and creamy, offers excellent coverage, and lends itself to numerous textural effects.
MP: Do you have a favorite technique that you use a lot in your work?
I think my favorite technique (and probably most used) is simply to make use of the qualities of Golden’s Fluid Acrylic paints. As I mentioned above, their translucency and color load are unsurpassed. By creating many, many layers of translucent paint (sometimes upwards of 20 or 30), I’m able to get a depth and blending of colors that I would not be able to achieve otherwise.
MP: As an artist we have many roles, which do you find to be the most rewarding and which the most challenging for you?
The business side of art is most certainly the most challenging. I think the public in general often views an artist’s life as some enchanted existence whereby we just flit and float from one creative project to the next. That couldn’t be further from the truth! I work hard to be as successful as possible and for me that means devoting at least 60% of my time to the business side of things. It’s a juggling act that I’m constantly trying to streamline.
The most rewarding part of being an artist is, of course, painting. But for me it goes well beyond just putting brush to canvas. I feel especially gratified when I push the limits of my own capabilities, thereby evolving as a result. I truly believe the most important thing we can do for ourselves as creative individuals is to find a way to grow. When I know that I’ve accomplished something new - something that I previously thought was well outside my reach, I feel an immense pride. Nothing beats an achievement that came about because of your own hard work and dedication.
MP: Do you have any upcoming projects/books/events/etc we can look forward to seeing in the future?
My schedule seems to be forever changing, which keeps me on my toes. For the latest on upcoming art fairs and gallery shows, visit my website: http://www.sharibeaubien.com/events. In addition to those events, I am looking forward to the release of two books to which I was invited to contribute: Flavor for Mixed Media and Seeking Artistic Style, both due out next year. Several licensing opportunities are also coming to fruition in terms of a contract for wall art and another for a calendar in 2012.
On a personal note, I am anxious to carve out some time this summer to begin work on a children’s book - to be written and illustrated by me!
MP: Is there anything you would like the art world to know about you that we did not cover in our interview?
As a self-taught artist, I have had the luxury to explore both my ideas and my materials undisturbed. My evolution has been my own and I believe that my artistic voice has developed more strongly because of it. I am often asked about the next greatest class, material, technique, etc. While I agree wholeheartedly in the sharing of information, I would also like to encourage every creative individual out there to just show up and do the work. Get to know the subject matter that moves you and how your own specific set of materials works best in your unique hands. Work on a series - paint one elephant and you get an elephant, paint twenty and you get an evolution. This is where the magic happens, my friends. Truly it is. Working on your art every single day is your ticket to becoming a better artist. Sure, sometimes it’s a bit lonely, but if you listen closely within the confines of that quiet, you’ll hear your brushes and paints are singing a chorus.
Learn more about Shari by visiting her website, blog and etsy shop.
Shari, thank you for sharing with our readers not only your words and encouragement to others as they take an artful journey, but your bright and cheerful artwork.
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OMG pure love!! I really like the gentle elephant! I can see that she is sweet in her eyes, such a comforting expression. And the bird seems to be in agreement with me :)
Posted by: Michelle | photo on canvas printing | May 2010 at 01:31 AM