background : artist's statement : watercolors : jewelry

Shiloh	Archie	Kamots	Kodi

My Background

The above photographs are of my extended family. They often help me in my studio…well at least they probably think that they are helping!

After living in the San Francisco Bay Area for 24 years, my husband and I now reside in California’s beautiful Gold Country. I find that being surrounded every spring with hills covered in wildflowers, and painting to the sound of the breeze flowing through Ponderosa and Oak trees, is a perfect setting for creating my large floral watercolors, which are often associated with Georgia O’Keefe's style and subject material. Inspiration for my paintings comes from a large collection of wildflower photographs taken by me and my father throughout the Western states and Hawaii.

I have sold my paintings and jewelry through galleries in Hawaii, Napa Valley, Sonoma, Carmel and Durango, Colorado. My watercolors hang in private collections in Hawaii, Texas, Australia, California, Washington, Arizona and Florida. I have been fortunate to have been accepted at many juried shows at which I have won numerous awards and have had my paintings shown at several one and two-person shows in Bay Area galleries, including the Olive Hyde and Adobe galleries.

My watercolors are unique. I use a multi-layer process (from 3 to 10 layers) to achieve the depth and intensity my paintings are known for. This differs from the traditional fast and sketchy technique of watercolor that most people are familiar with. I also enjoy doing portraits using my technique and have won awards for my portraits. Most of my portraits are special commissions and the samples shown on this web site are mainly of my family. Recently I started 2 new series of paintings which are titled Distorted Reflections and Koi. I am very excited to be painting them. I hope you also enjoy their interesting character.

Like many artists, I have worked in a variety of media, including custom designed jewelry (as shown on this site), hand-made paper, and lithographs, as well as taught classes in drawing, color theory, painting, and jewelry design/making. I now have a collection of instructions for making beaded jewelry that are also available on this web site. Additionally, I am active in the art world, particularly in Northern California. I am a past member of the Art Advisory Board for the California State Fair and have been on the executive councils and an elected officer of several San Francisco Bay Area art associations. I have taught drawing and painting to both adults and children since 1984 and have taught art history in the public school system for over 8 years. I also applied my fine art training to graphic design and layout, and with my husband, produced four books for Wiley and Sons and McGraw Hill. I received my BA in Fine Art from Hayward University.

I currently teach beaded jewelry and watercolor painting at my daughter’s store, Piece of Mind Bead and Jewelry Studio, in Sacramento, CA. (see the “links” section). If you are ever in Sacramento, come in and see me.

Artist's Statement

I believe the ugliness that permeates our world due to the increase of crime and excessive use and pollution of our natural resources is settling into the crevices of our lives. It is getting harder and harder to feel the warmth and joy of living. All that is talked about or heard is negative and ugly. Just watch the news at night. You can probably count the good news stories on one hand, if there are any at all.

I strongly feel that the power of change from this malignant ugliness lies within each one of us. If we each try to bring brightness and goodness with us, we can make a small, but significant difference.

The power of the artist can be terrific. We can reach people in subtle, but influential ways. Artists have in recent times, expressed this ugliness through their art to the point of becoming as bad as the expressed subject. Negative plus negative, in this case, does not create a positive. I want to do the opposite. I want to express the warmth and joy of living through my art. We need to look at the beauty and stop looking at the ugliness.

Intentionally, my watercolors are pretty. I have picked certain subjects and colors to express my philosophy, that positive can create positive.

About My Watercolors

My watercolors are predominately large-format, photo-realistic, floral close-ups, portraits, or the new series of paintings I call "Distorted Reflections" (a different view of life) and Koi (self explanatory). All these forms of work are exhibited in the various galleries on this web site. All of my paintings are originals, not prints, and are signed by me.

I use a complex, multi-layer coloring technique to create the intense color and intimate detail associated with each of my watercolors. This is very different from the typical, washed out watercolors many people are familiar with. Using vibrant colors, subtle shading and exquisite detail, my paintings create a three-dimensional perspective that literally bursts off the canvas with vivid realism.

All my paintings are done with transparent watercolor except for a few that have a black gesso (opaque) background. They are all painted on Arches 300 pound or 555 pound, cold press watercolor paper. I use Daniel Smith and Windsor & Newton paints that are rated excellent or very good light fastness. They each come with a letter of authenticity.

I paint all the way out to the edge of the paper, so when they are framed, they can be "floated". Many times the framed watercolor is floated using black fabric with a black fabric mat 1" away from the painting, so you can see the edges, called deckle edges (as seen in the pictures).

Just email me if you are interested in any of them (I accept VISA or MasterCard, but not over the internet) and we can arrange everything. See “Purchase” for details.

Florals

I may use similar flowers and even similar perspectives in a series of paintings, but each creation represents an individual, non-reproducible painting with its own color and intensity variations. I have been recognized by art critics as having a unique floral watercolor style with overtures of Georgia O’Keefe.

I work from photographs taken by my dad, Bob Shervem (a terrific photographer) or myself, and use a magnifying glass to be able to see all the detail. It takes me approximately 50 hours to complete a painting and I work on 3-5 paintings at a time.

To the right are some of my paintings with the original photographs. You can see that I try to paint exactly what I see.

Koi

Orange is fast becoming my favorite color and the Koi fish are covered with all shades or orange. Every time I have taken pictures of the Koi, they swarm at my feet, because they wanted food. I snap as many pictures as I can before they realize I have no food. I have at least 12 photos that I want to paint of the Koi. The 2 on the website are only the beginning.

Southwest

Growing up in Arizona, I have many photographs to paint from for the “Southwest” section. They overlap the other sections (portraits and florals), but I have separated them out in their own section.

Distorted Reflections

This is a new series of different subject matter for me. It is focused on unique perspectives created by unusual and distorted "reflections of life" as seen for example through mirrored columns. These paintings are almost 180 degrees opposite of my florals, even if they are photo-realistic. While the florals are easily recognizable, my reflections often appear abstract until you concentrate and look closely to see the intricate detail they encompass. If you look at the painting, you can see me when I was taking the picture – I have red shorts and a black and white stripped top on.

Portraits

My portraits are typically commissions, but occasionally I find such an interesting face that I do a watercolor just for the fun of it. The paintings of “Navajo Woman” and “Kachina Carver” are examples of this.

One thing that I like to do is combine a portrait with other subject matter, such as a rocking horse, to make the overall impression of the painting more interesting and less stilted.

About My Jewelry

I make several kinds of jewelry, as seen on the website. I have divided them up in the description area to describe how they are done and the pricing. If you see one that you like and it is not in the right colors or if it is not available, I can do a commission. After we agree on what you want, I require a 50% non-refundable deposit with the balance due when it is done.

Amulets

I do many different amulets. I can do any color and design using various peyote stitchs. All amulets have a two-tiered fringe. I tend to make nice thick fringes (it's Helen Dietze's influence). For those of you that haven't seen an amulet before, they are small pouches and you can put anything you want in them. My sisters have pieces of hair from their children in theirs. I know someone who bought one from me and put her children's baby teeth in it. That way their children are always close. The price for an amulet is $55 - $65, depending on the size.

Freeform Sculptural Amulets

My freeform sculptural amulets are also pouches, so something can be put in them. Sometimes the color scheme is based on the lampwork beads I have incorporated in it or the leaves that I use in the fringe. I use beads ranging in size from 15º to 6º as well as leaves, lampwork beads and gold flowers. The price for freeform sculptural amulets is $100 - $150.

Glass & Freeform Sculptural Necklaces

I use fused dicroic glass in many of my necklaces. I buy from a variety of people and one is a friend named Joanna Knieriem. It's so much fun to see what she has made each time I see her. I use a freeform sculptural peyote stitch with a mixture of beads that were the same colors as the fused glass piece. Actually, mixing the beads is as much fun as making the necklace - a little of this and a little of that! The price for the freeform sculptural glass necklace is $250.

Micro Macramé Tantrum Cascade Necklace

I use the “Tantrum” lampwork bead made by Jo Ella Johnson of Sacramento, CA as the main bead and combine it with macramé. I love to give the necklace a luscious fringe. I have the instructions for this necklace for sale on this website. The price for these necklaces is $75.

Micro Macramé Freeform Sculptural Necklace

I have used the macramé’ as I do the beads in the freeform peyote stitch amulets. It is abstract and is done around a piece of fused glass. I feel that this sets the glass apart from the rest of the necklace, thus showcasing it. The prices for these necklaces are $95 - $150.

Coming and Going Necklace

The idea is that you look as good going away as you did coming in! I love lampwork beads, so I designed these necklaces to showcase the “one of a kind” lampwork bead with luscious fringes – both front and in the back. Many of the lampwork beads are made by well known artists. I put many different beads as well as smaller lampwork beads in the fringe to accent the big center bead. I have combined all this with macramé (everything comes back!). The price for this type of necklace is $150. I have the instructions for this necklace for sale on this website for $18.

Modern Squash Blossom Necklace

These necklaces are mostly done with semi-precious stones. I use donuts out of the stones and I accent them with silver, stone chips, and various beads. The design is a take off of an Indian silver Squash Blossom necklace, so I call it a "Modern Squash Blossom" necklace. The price for this type of necklace is $200 - $300.

Bracelets

I do a number of bracelets and many are macramé. I like to use unusual pieces as the centerpiece, which include Jo Ella Johnson’s cat heads and Tantrums, Della Armstrong’s beautiful beads, and pieces of dicroic glass.

Instructions and Kits

On my website, I have included instructions that I have written on many of my types of jewelry. I teach at Piece of Mind Bead and Jewelry Studio in Sacramento, CA, a terrific bead store! For all of my classes, I have instructions and sell many of them as kits as well. Just email me if you are interested in any of them (I accept VISA or MasterCard, but not over the internet) and we can arrange everything. See “Purchase” for details.

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