About Sherry
Born in Queens, NY and raised in the picturesque Hudson Valley, my path has been marked by a series of transformative moments and deliberate choices that have shaped me as an artist and a scholar. At Boston College, I crafted an independent major in BioArt that showcased an early inclination towards STEAM, before STEAM was a thing. This interdisciplinary exploration, blending the realms of art and science in innovative ways was a bold move at that time and laid the foundation for my future endeavors and set the tone for my career which has been about pushing boundaries both creatively and intellectually.
Following a brief foray into medical research, I followed my dreams to the streets of Manhattan and immersed myself into the vibrant East Village scene for a decade. I absorbed New York City’s energy and creative spirit and it nurtured my artistic vision and honed my craft. I literally took advantage of every facet and every moment I had there. After my time at NYU doing my MFA, I moved on to work and teach at the School of Visual Arts and began my doctoral study at Teachers College Columbia University where I deepened my understanding of integrating studio art practice with technology and cybernetics.
As an artist, my preferred mediums of drawing and painting serve as the primary vehicles for my artistic expression. The intimate space of my sketchbook acts as a sanctuary for ideation, reflection, and experimentation, where traditional techniques intertwine with cutting-edge technologies to give rise to hybrid forms of artistic creation.
My research interests, spanning topics such as arts technology integration, hybrid studio practices, mindfulness, and empathy, underscore a commitment to exploring the evolving landscape of contemporary art and its societal implications. Through my exhibitions and publications, I have actively engaged with these themes, offering insights and contributions to the ongoing dialogue with the art community.
Noteworthy exhibitions at venues such as the Silvermine, BAU, and Arbor Galleries, and Kinosaito Art Center have been recent exhibition sites of late. Recent publications in journals and books, attest to the depth and breadth of the work.
In summary, I have an unwavering commitment and passion for artistic practice and art education and the work is at a cross-section of tradition and innovation that speaks to the transformative power of art informing and shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves.
Artist Statement
There is a magical quality to the work, akin to Alice in Wonderland, with its imaginary world-building—each painting constructs an otherworldly space. These imagined spaces emerge from the subconscious or an altered state of consciousness. There is a connection to other possibilities in space and time, as well as different ways of seeing and experiencing reality. These other worlds may originate from dreamlike states.
The work contextualizes symbols formulated from several researched sources, carrying blended meanings and hidden secrets. Discrete symbols—such as a flying alien turtle in the sky—are surprising and unexpected. Forms such as the crow and the cardinal appear repeatedly. The poppy brings with it many meanings from the world, e.g., drug, sleep, hallucination, etc. Some references are integral to the work, such as the star of the sea levitating across the threshold of an open window into the cosmos. It takes something like throwing wishes at a dead tree to a place that scratches beneath the thin skin of memories, inventing forms, signs, and symbols to share their meaning. Something more accessible, like a Calla Lily, picks up from the prescience of the crow. It gazes into the burning duskfire at twilight, toward the future, and envisions itself as a funerary flower.
Green trees litter the skyline. The sky churns with intensity, transitioning from dark to light with exciting pops of yellow. The angry, stormy blacks and grays in the sky suggest a brewing storm. Poppies are caught up in the sky alongside a giant crow. At the center of it all is a periwinkle-blue, womanly form with a halo of white—a Spectral Being. Somewhere in this world, there is a portal to the other side, a connection to yet another realm. Where does it end?
All of these paintings are characterized by vigorous, thick, luscious, and energetic gestural strokes in some passages, and by great specificity and control in others. The range of paint handling enhances the visual storytelling in each work.
The clouds are on fire, with dark storm clouds rolling in and a pale yellow hovering above purple and magenta treetops skirting the landline. Across from these clouds, pale pinks transition into hot reds across the landscape, creating a beautiful, stormy skyscape. Highly volatile clouds provide actual content to the picture, pairing with cranberries strewn across a red ochre road. They pepper the roadway, and to the right lies a field of tall grass—long blades like little flames blowing in the breeze. Off to the left is a patch of Calla Lilies. They are multicolored and reflective of the sky. Their lush, colorful leaves spread across the ground like frosting. Popping up among the Calla Lilies are tubular, speckled, Seussian flowers that help layer the space.
There is a vastness to the picture plane that pulls you up through the road and into the sky. The flower tells a story.