ValeArts Welcomes Oakton Artist

While living in Oakton for the last 15 years, Marjorie Sharer had heard about the ValeArts shows, but didn't quite know what the club was or how to get involved. An inquiry to the committee led to an invitation to become a guest artist at the annual ValeArts Fine Art Show, which will take place this weekend at the historic Vale Schoolhouse beginning 10 a.m. Friday.

"I have a body of work and this will be my first showing and the first group of paintings that I have ever done," Sharer said. "I had this group of nine paintings that I thought were worth showing. They are all 24x36."

In 1984, Sharer received a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Moore College of Art and became an instructor teaching art and ceramics at a Pennsylvania high school and college.

When she moved to Oakton, she put her artwork on hold for a while, as she raised four children. Her only involvement with art was when she volunteered to bring Greater Reston Art Center's (G.R.A.C.E.) program into Waples Mill Elementary.

As time flew by, Sharer wanted to reconnect to the art world and began painting, something she had really never done before.

"When my oldest turned 16 and could drive, I started to get a little freedom and I started painting," Sharer said. "I was able to recommit myself to art, but this time I decided to try a new medium, oil painting. In this new beginning, I am still driven by the same inspirations. My painting style is not intended to be realistic but to be symbolic using an exaggeration of color and stylization of form."

The ValeArts committee loved her oil paintings and thought they would complement the other artists in the show.

"ValeArts has an interview process where guest artist applicants are invited to bring samples of their work and tell us about their background and what inspires them to create their artwork," said Linda Lovell, one of the members of ValeArts. "We selected Marjorie as one of our guest artists for this year's fall show as her work is beautiful and would provide an added dimension to our show. She paints local landscapes and trees out in her own backyard in Oakton."

In her work, Sharer concentrates on trees, gardens and landscapes she sees around town.

"I'm very local and family-oriented. My artwork is all from my yard in Oakton," she said. "I paint what's about me and what's about my community and these are scenes from around the community. I am inspired by the views of where we live."

Her subjects are trees and plants bold in shape, line and texture, set in the foreground to capture light and to cast shadow. 

"By overlapping and contrasting colors, hues and tones, I try to emphasize nature’s harmonious compositions, drawing the viewer's eye back into the painting," she said. "The sky is always prominent as a reminder of the power light plays in nature."

Sharer believes that because she was originally a clay artist, her tendency is to work in groups, since clay is more about a body of work.

At the show, the artist will also be offering printed cards and high quality Giclée Prints.

The artist makes sure to set aside a few hours a week to paint with a social painting group and often paints around the house and in her home studio in between raising her family.

"That's one of the reasons I changed from clay. I literally had to have a separate studio with clay; you can't put it in the kitchen and eat with it," she said. "I can pack up and go places and set up in the front of the house and paint there, or paint in the basement. It's more portable."

She does still have one kiln and occasionally offers workshops at her home for children to teach the finer points of clay art. But it is the oils she currently loves.

"I paint from the heart," she said. "I am looking forward, but a little bit nervous about showing my work, but excited about this opportunity with ValeArts."