Sharon Cannon

Artist Statement

My work lives in cycles. I begin with a fresh canvas, building up color and texture with intuition and energy. But space is limited, so my process includes a kind of ritual curation. Once or twice a year, I review everything I’ve painted with an honest eye. Many pieces are let go—not by leaving the studio, but by becoming something new. Momentum matters. This rhythm—of layering, erasing, and beginning again—has become a central part of my process.

I paint over older works, layer upon layer, sometimes four or five times. I let each painting go, but the new image carries echoes of what came before, creating a quiet, invisible history. This cycle of creation, revision, and rebirth is as much a part of my art as the final surface. It’s not about perfection—it’s about presence, persistence, and trusting the next mark.

About

Sharon Cannon’s creative life didn’t begin in a studio—it began in a one-room schoolhouse on the plains of South Dakota. Born into a farming family, she spent her early years learning self-reliance, which would shape her life for decades to come. Sharon earned a master’s degree in executive business from USC and built a long career in finance, design, and project management—fields far removed from painting. She eventually became Vice President of Unique Projects in Los Angeles, collaborating with designers on custom furniture for cruise ships, parks, restaurants, public spaces, and private clients. Painting came later—and changed everything.

After decades of practical, left-brain work, Sharon stumbled into an art therapy class that stayed with her for years. Eventually, as retirement approached, she gave herself permission to explore. What began as a tentative step into a painting class turned into a full creative awakening. Today, Sharon lives and paints in Los Angeles, working primarily in oil and mixed media. Her process is tactile and unplanned. She uses palette knives, rags, and her fingers instead of brushes, following color where it leads. For her, painting is not just an art form—it’s a way of getting out of her head and into something freer, bolder, more alive.