Featured Artist - August 1-29
Sheri Medford
My work delves into the profound ways we connect—or disconnect—from one another. As a mixed-media artist and figurative painter, I am fascinated by the human form and the dynamic shapes it creates in motion. I also enjoy exploring the negative space between figures. These seemingly empty voids hold a powerful visual narrative, offering clues to our shared human experience and the subtle currents of feeling that shape our perceptions of the world around us. My aim is to create evocative pieces that speak to our fundamental need for connectivity, capturing those fleeting, telling moments that reveal our inner landscape. My creative process shifts between techniques: collage forms the basis for my abstracted silhouetted figures, while oil and cold wax over acrylic underpainting allow for moments of heightened realism when the narrative demands it. Informed by my background in graphic design, my approach emphasizes pattern and strong line work. In a world often clouded by technology and constant busyness, I strive to uncover the hidden narratives beneath our daily existence, inviting a return to the heart and inspiring a deeper sense of presence and connection.
Artist Biography
Based in the Pacific Northwest, I began my professional life as a graphic artist, after studying art and dance at the University of Oregon in the 1970s. I later pursued a master’s degrees in Exercise Science and Psychology, with minors in art and dance. A significant health challenge shifted my path from
aspiring art and dance therapist to electronic publishing. In 2015, my book Dark Side of the Mood, a memoir of this period, was published. At 68, the loss of my husband catalyzed a profound immersion into painting and mixed media, marking the true beginning of my studio practice.
For the past two years, I’ve dedicated myself to figurative painting, leading to my current Artist in Residence at The HIVE in Spokane, Washington. I’m presently preparing for a solo exhibition at the Spokane Art School, where I’ve also have the pleasure of teaching workshops.
My purpose for the future is clear: to create art that “shows, not tells,” our shared human need for connection. “Unity in diversity” is the core principle that unites my work, celebrating how our common needs, and unique differences, create a richly textured world.
Joins us for an artist reception on Friday, August 1, 11, 5-8 p.m.
Upcoming Shows at Spokane Art School
Spokane Watercolor Society Show – September 2-29
The Hidden Gems of the Northwest Plein Air Exhibit – October 3-31
Yuletide – November 7-8
Ornament and Small Works Show – November 14- December 23
