Shara got her start at age 5 as a “closet artist”, drawing & painting inside closets, cabinets & behind her bed. A few years later, her mother enrolled her in private oil painting lessons (perhaps to save her furniture). Shara has always been creative with unique self-expression and personal flair. When not painting, you will often find Shara in the woods or by a lake.
She also loves to dance and sing and write poetry… and paint live in public, especially at musical events. Shara lives in north central Massachusetts, with her husband and two children (who are pretty much grown now).
She is an Artivist and is deeply engaged in her local arts community.
Shara has been fascinated with all patterns in nature and in life. How does a body move? How can I express that flow? What makes someone feel valued and vital? Permaculture design has informed a lot of my recent work. The concept of companion planting is the way that plants are stronger when supported by other plants. Humans, like the natural world, sustain themselves through collaboration and support, building stronger communities. My great passion is to use my skills to bring people together and help to empower them to achieve their highest purpose. Art is a great healer.
The more that I evolve as an artist and a humanist, the more that I want to paint larger murals that sing to the world of hope and imagination and possibility and connection and love!
Shara has been a leader in the Fitchburg arts community for many years. Serving in school Parent Teacher Organizations, founding and coordinating a school band club, getting funding and creating several public murals, participating in & helping to coordinate events including: Fitchburg Open Studios, Winter Bazaar, Farmers Market, First Thursdays, and many other community events. Shara is the event coordinator for the Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival. She also serves on the Fitchburg Cultural Council, and is an active member of the Art Stewards, Cultural Alliance and the MA Caucus of Women Artists.
Murals
Flight of Fancy – Artful Pianos Project – Newton MA 2024 – One of 9 artists chosen. I fully painted a piano that was placed at Upper Falls Greenway for spring and summer of 2024.
Athena & Her Owl – Northampton Chalk Art Festival – Northampton MA 2024 25 square ft. mural at Northampton Public Library
Stay Golden – Northampton Chalk Art Festival – Northampton, MA 2023 – 25 square ft. chalk art mural
Monson: Past, Present & Future – Main St., Monson, MA – 1300 square ft. – community engaged mural designed & produced in collaboration with Melissa Pandina. We led community listening sessions and paint party, painted & installed mural
Main Street Culture Banners – Main St., Fitchburg, MA 2023 – 8 banners 3’x8’each – lead artist, collaborated designs & painted original panels with Melissa Pandina – Did photoshoot & interviews with 10 artists – set up interactive QR code
Mountain Goddess – Essex in Bloom Chalk Art – Essex, MA 2023 – 25 square ft. chalk art mural
Reaching Towards Change – Cushing St., Fitchburg, MA 2022 – 1400 square ft. pedestrian walkway – designer & lead artist
Illuminated – Northampton Chalk Art Festival – Northampton, MA 2022 – 25 square ft. chalk art mural
Abolitionist Park Mural – Fitchburg, MA 2022 – assistant on 6-panel 160 square foot mural
Nature Is Beauty – Acton, MA 2022 – 100 square foot CEM polytab mural – designer & lead artist
Power of Art – Boulder Dr., Fitchburg, MA – 2022 – 1800 square foot CEM polytab mural – designer & lead artist in collaboration with Community Mural Institute – led community listening session, paint party and paint crew, as well as painting & installation.
Heart Opening Mural – Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg, MA – 200 square foot mural – mural designer & artist
Exhibitions
Water: Currents of Change – Gallery Marquee – Fitchburg MA 2025
6000 Circles – Main Street Studios – Fitchburg MA – April 2024 – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – Holden Library – Holden MA – May 2024 – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – Smokestack Roasters – Lunenburg MA – June 2024 – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – Munroe Center for the Arts – Lexington MA – July 2024 – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – Lunenburg Library – Lunenburg MA – August 2024 – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – Ashby Library – Ashby MA – Sept 2024 – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – New Dawn Arts Center – Oct – Nov 2024 – Ashburnham MA – MA Women’s Caucus of Art – MWCA rotating show
6000 Circles – Honoring the Feminine – Mar-Apr 2025 – Granucci Gallery at the Center for the Arts – Grass Valley CA – Women’s Caucus of Art – group show with all of the national artists who participated in this project.
Found in Translation – Gallery Marquee – Fitchburg MA – April-May 2024
Toronto Visionary Art Exhibition – Alternity Gallery & Virtual Gallery – Jan – Feb 2024
Her Signature – Ma Caucus for Women Artists Group Show – Main Street Studio Gallery – Oct-Dec 2023
Resident Artists Group Show – Main Street Studios – Sep – Dec 2023
Main Street Studios Gallery – Fitchburg Open Studios – Sep 2023
Vision Train Group Show – Hive Gallery – Los Angeles, CA – Aug – Sep 2023
Visionary Arts Academy – Summer Seminar Group Show – Torri Superiore, Italy – July 2023
Main Street Studios – Fitchburg Open Studios – Sep 2022
Members Group Show – Jaffrey Civic Center – Jaffrey, NH Jul-Aug 2022
Especially Colors – Central MA Women’s Caucus for Art – Jaffrey Civic Center – Jaffrey, MA – Jun – Jul-2022
New Works – Central MA Women’s Caucus for Art – Creative Visions Gallery – Milford, NH – Mar 2022
Feast of Lights Art Salon – February 2013-2024 – Northampton, MA annually (12 salons)
Toronto Visionary Art Exhibition – Kunstmatrix Virtual Gallery – Dec 2021- Feb 2022, Dec 2023 – Feb 2024
Ansin Gallery – Fitchburg Art Museum – Fitchburg, MA – Fitchburg Open Studios – Sep 2021
Tribute to Frida Kahlo – Vision Train Gallery – Jul – Oct 2021
Rites of Spring Art Salon – Earthspirit – western MA, annually May – 2015-2023 (9 salons)
Transition: Art for the Regenaissance – Vision Train Gallery in collaboration with Design Science Studio – Mar – Jun 2021
Glimmer – Gallery Sitka East – Shirley, MA – Nov 2020 – Jan 2021
Transformation 2020 -Vision Train Gallery – Oct – Dec 2020
Sparkleverse – Vision Train Gallery – Virtual Burning Man – Aug 2020
Reflections 2020 – Vision Train Gallery – Jun-Sep 2020
Mushroom Magic – Vision Train Gallery – Aug – Nov 2020
Living Canvases – Jungle Science Gallery – Binghamton, NY April 2008-2016 annually
Rude & Bold Women – Binghamton, NY – 2004, 2005 – group show of women artists
Education
Chapel of the Sacred Mirror – Amanda Sage Mixtek Mystics – 1 Week Intensive – Oct 2023
Academy of Visionary Arts Summer Seminar – Torri Superiore, Italy – July 2023
Vienna Academy of Visionary Arts/ Vision Train – workshop series 2020-2022
Deliberate Creation – Animorphosis Arts – Murals & More – Mar-Apr 2021
Vitra Academy – online – spring 2022 & fall 2022 Spring 2023 & fall 2023
Biofield Flow Certification with Melanie Weller – winter-spring 2020
Chapel of the Sacred Mirror – Autumn Sky Morrison Weekend Intensive – June 2018
Metalsmith Apprenticeship with Bill Thorpe of Futurelics – 1996-2003
School of Visual Arts – NY, NY – BFA – Commercial Art/ Media Communications – 1986
Community & Leadership/Trainings
Guest Lecturer at Fitchburg State University – spring 2023
Fitchburg Mural Tours – guided tours of downtown Fitchburg Murals for Parker Charter School students with historical information – spring 2023
Community Leadership Institute – Leadership Training Intensive – NeighborWorks – Charlotte, NC – Oct 2022
Community Mural Institute – Art Lead & Intensive training in community engaged public art, listening sessions, paint parties, design & budgeting, certified OSHA lift safety training, and polytab mural paint & installation process (funded by Block Grant City of Fitchburg)
Stewardship Leader – Led 8-week seminar on Public Art & Mural Making – fall 2022
Stewardship Training – Art, Environmental, Civic Ambassador & Community Steward Trainings 2020-2022 Art Steward Leader – Co-Facilitated Art Stewards training – spring 2022
Resident Leadership Institute – Fitchburg State University – 8-week intensive Leadership Training – 2021
Stewards Open House – Co-Facilitated networking and graduation celebration – 2023
Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival – Event Coordinator, chief fundraiser & logo design – 2023 & 2024
Membership in Organizations
Fitchburg Cultural Council – Board Member – 2022-present – secretary 2024
Fitchburg Cultural Alliance – member – 2015 – present
Arts Worcester – member 2023 – present
Fitchburg Community Stewards – member 2020 – present
Main Street Studios –Resident Artist – Nov 2022 – present
Fitchburg Art Steward – member – 2020 – present / teacher 2022 – present
Fitchburg Art Museum – member 2018- present
MA Caucus for Women Artists – member 2022 – present / secretary 2023
Jaffrey Civic Center – member 2022
Sizer School Band Coordinator – (established program & coordinated) 2017-2023
Sizer School PTSO Vice President – 2020-2022
Grants & Awards
CHNA9 – for Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival (mental health) – $2000 – 2024
NeighborWorks Activation Grant – for Stewards Open House – $3000 – 2023
Fitchburg Cultural Council – Local Cultural Council Grants (FCC – Fitchburg):
FCC-FY18 awarded $950 for Sizer School Band Club – 2018
FCC-FY19 awarded $1123 for Sizer School Band Club – 2019
FCC-FY20 awarded $1215 for Sizer School Band Club – 2020
FCC-FY20 grant for Heart Opening Mural – awarded $1500 – 2020
FCC-FY21 awarded $1500 for Sizer School Band Club – 2021
FCC-FY22 awarded $1516 for Sizer School Band Club – 2022
FCC-FY22 awarded $1516 for Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival –2022 (extended to 2023)
FCC-FY23 awarded $1100 for 1st Thursday Free Workshop Series 1& 2 – 2023
FCC-FY23 awarded $800 for 1st Thursday Free Workshop Series 3 & 4 – 2023
FCC-FY24 awarded $1407 for Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival – 2024
New Vue Community Activation Grant – awarded $1000 – 2023 & 2024
TD Bank Charitable Trust – awarded $1500 for Lowe Park Chalk Art – 2023
Creative Cities: Dream It. Create It. Grant – awarded $1000 for Lowe Park Chalk Art – 2023
Fitchburg State University – Crocker Center for Civic Engagement – Community Engagement Project Grant – awarded $1000 for Lowe Park Chalk Art – 2023
InTown Fitchburg – awarded $400 for Lowe Park Chalk Art – 2023
Lionel Reinford Artist Relief Fund – awarded $575 – 2021
Teaching
1st Thursday Free Art Workshop Series – Dot Mandalas & More – 2024
1st Thursday Free Art Workshop Series – Zentangle Doodle Art – 2023
1st Thursday Free Art Workshop Series – Vision Board Creative Collage – 2023
1st Thursday Free Art Workshop Series – Monoprints with Gelli Plate – 2023
Art Stewards: Public Art & Murals – winter/spring 2022-2023 – led 8-week class
Anima Magika Series – on Vision Train – November 2020-February 2022 – series of talks on animal symbolism in art
Storytime Series – on Vision Train – January 2021 – April 2021
Creative Origami – NE Artist Trading Cards & Mail Art Group – 2018
Dot Mandalas – NE Artist Trading Cards & Mail Art Group – 2016 & 2019
Creative Collage – NE Artist Trading Cards & Mail Art Group – 2018
Alcohol Inks and Stencil Art – NE Artist Trading Cards & Mail Art Group – 2017
