The changing light of day and the moods it creates are the foundations of Sharon’s oil paintings. Layers of transparent glazes are used to achieve a luminous quality and the use of chiaroscuro brings a painting to life. Minute structuring of details as they interact with one another generates tension and interest on an abstract level.
Sharon captures a split second in time — a suspended reality of a particular light and season in order to engage the viewer artistically, emotionally, and intellectually. A synthesis of colour, composition and texture in unison speaks directly to the viewer without further explanation.
Sharon Argyle works in watercolour, etching, oils and photography.
Aiming to hone her skills, Sharon studied still life painting with Doris McCarthy at Central Technical School in Toronto and art history at York University and the University of Toronto before traveling to Europe in the 1980s to study first-hand the painters of the Northern Renaissance and Dutch still life. One day while observing the work of Pieter Claesz she again experienced a moment pivotal to her artistic direction when a young girl came up to her and innocently exclaimed “I really love your paintings!” In her naieveté the child had probably sensed a deeper connection, which is evident in her work to this day.
Sharon has also worked as a graphic artist and tapestry designer. She now paints full time in Kingston, Ontario. Her designs and paintings have found homes in the private collections of art enthusiasts internationally.
