TAMARAK HEALTH CENTER MOSAIC MURAL

The Finished Donor Tree for the Tamarak. The leaves on the tree are made from brass and engraved. The names on the leaves are the people that donated to the Tamarak , people and businesses around the area. I thank everyone for this oppurtunity to use my talents.

GRANT TOWNSHIP HALL MURAL

GRANT TOWNSHIP HALL MURAL

14'x8' designed and painted by Sharon Smithem

Theme: AMERICA

This mural has a long story........    The committee at the Grant Township Hall consisted of 4 men with strong opinions on what to place on this mural.
They gave me a long list of things they would like to incorporate .  Started with the old  Rothbury Township Hall. The Claybanks Church. the Constitution of America, the pledge of allegiance to the flag, a John Deere tractor, a International tractor, the surrounding farmlands, the American flag and a good ol boy driving the tractor. Oh Boy! that was alot to try to design into a mural painting but I came up with an awesome design and proposal and they accepted it. This painting took 6 week to finish working on it daily. It is very intricate with the stalks of wheat to the detail in the tractor, the constitution handwriting and the boy riding the tractor. If you look closely you will see where the International has a place on the mural. It was a fun project and of course I put my whole heart and skill into it.
The location is Grant Township Hall  7140 S. Oceana Dr, Rothbury Mi. I am not sure of the hours of operation, maybe you can catch them open to get a view.
Its stunning!

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MURAL

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN GRAND RAPIDS
   Year 2000      12'x8' Mural - Located in the lobby of the MDOT on Front Street

NBC MIDDLE SCHOOL MONTAGUE MICHIGAN

   MONTAGUE NBC MIDDLE SCHOOL MURAL  2000

40 ft. x 4ft. located in school hallway over trophy cases

MONTAGUE HIGH SCHOOL . MONTAGUE MICHIGAN

 MONTAGUE WILDCAT MURAL 1991 

It has been a few years......

It's been a few years since I posted on this blog- 

4 years to be exact. 

I will be posting past artwork.

 Then on to the new!

2009 Mural painting- Utopian Marketplace, Montague Mi.
no longer open

BOOK NOOK & JAVA SHOP - Glass Mosaic Mural

 The Book Nook & Java Shop -

Best Cellars Wine Bar

  Located in Montague Michigan -

 are the proud owners of 

my latest Glass Mosaic

This mosaic was inspired by the new look and renovation 

including a wine bar and a stage. My design I dreamed up this winter when discussing the plans with the Interior Designer-

Mary Payne of Mary Payne Interiors, Montague Michigan

The glass was carefully selected to give it the full beauty it deserves. The sky was inspired by Van Gogh's Starry Night 

"I've always wanted to create that painting in glass"

The mosaic took many many hours to create with hundreds of tiny pieces of glass. Every single one carefully cut by hand

The mosaic was built in my studio on mosaic mesh then transported in pieces to the site installed then grouted to finish it off.

Glass Mosaic Mural -Book Nook & Java Shop

Glass Mosaic Mural - Located at the Book Nook and Java Shop in Montague Michigan
Intricate glass mosaic designed and created piece by piece all custom glass work.
Size is approx. 6x8.. the design trails off into painted white steam coming out of the coffee cup and gold glass stars on the purple wall.

The Meaning of Embrace

“ Embrace” is a personal reflection of the myriad of distractions which take precedence over a woman’s life. The yearning for harmony, coupled with a woman’s compassionate nature often lead us to neglect our needs as we tend to the needs of others. This personal neglect comes at a cost, leaving us alone and battered by our kindness. Women’s innate capacity to create and sustain life predisposes us to protect and nurture others. “Embrace” reminds us to nurture our bodies our creativity and our souls. This act of replenishing enhances our loving caring nature.
        My life’s journey compelled me to create Embrace as a reminder to embrace my own soul. For too long, I neglected to shower equal measures of attention on myself leaving my body exhausted, my spirit depleted, and my mind in a state of confusion. Embrace reminds me that loving myself is an unselfish act which creates balance and sustains and restores my soul. Women of all cultures and status understand the pain and brutality life imposes on our gentle spirit. Our world will flourish when it embraces all woman and when we also learn to embrace ourselves.
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EMBRACE

My Artwork during Art Prize 2011 located at the Huntington Bank , 50 Monroe Ave, Grand Rapids Michigan. Festival runs September 21- October 9th please get to GR to register and vote for me # 48231

EMBRACE 2011 Art Prize Entry

Embrace” a personal reflection of the myriad distractions which take precedence over a woman’s life.   The yearning for harmony, coupled with a woman’s compassionate nature often lead us to neglect our needs as we tend to the needs of others.   This personal neglect comes at a cost, leaving us alone and worn by our kindness. Women’s innate capacity to create and sustain life predisposes us to protect and nurture others. “Embrace”  reminds us to nurture our bodies our creativity and our souls.  This act of replenishing enhances our loving caring nature.    My life’s journey compelled me to create Embrace as a reminder to embrace my own soul. For too long I had neglected to shower equal  measures of attention on myself leaving my body exhausted, my spirit depleted, and my mind in a state of confusion.  Embrace reminds me that loving myself is an unselfish act which creates balance and sustains and restores my soul.    Women of all cultures and status understand the pain and brutality life imposes on our gentle spirit.   Our world will flourish when it embraces all woman and when we women learn to embrace ourselves.

Working on Art Prize sculpture 2011

Here is the bottom half of the sculpture

This work is for ART PRIZE 2011 in Grand Rapids Mi. Sept 21- Oct 9

 I am creating a woman, this is the skirt or the lower half. She will be embracing herself. The form will be made from plaster castings. I will post as I get things done. Keep checking back.

Working spaces

Just a new idea during the cold winters in michigan.......

It was fun but I didnt sell any.

Working on some smaller projects the crosses for the marketplace.   Come visit the Montague Artisan Marketplace every saturday downtown Montague starting June 4  from 8-4pm.  There will be several handmade items by alot of great creative people thru out the coast of  Michigan. Stop by !! See you soon