Polly Sharp

POLLY SHARP

As a lifelong Oklahoman, born in Bartlesville, Polly has a deep appreciation for our land. Of Cherokee descent, her paternal great grandmother made the Trail of Tears, and her maternal grandparents, from Ireland, settled before statehood. Polly’s roots lay deep in Oklahoma soil. It is her love of the rolling hills and prairies, soaring cloudscapes, flaming sunsets and wandering creeks and rivers that draw her outdoors to paint.

” Often I set out to paint a spot I have seen, but never get there, struck by the beauty along the way. My husband has learned that when he hears me catch my breath and say ‘stop!’ that we are in for a short photo expedition before traveling on down the road. Hours can go by even forgetting to eat while painting if the light is just right and the painting going well.”

After many years of raising children and working in the areas of event coordination and public relations, finally, with the support of her husband, Glenn, Polly has been able to devote time to her passion for landscape painting. She paints in an impressionistic style with the goal of creating more emotion in her painting than can be captured in a photograph.

As part of a serious intention to improve her skills, Polly continues to take lessons and workshops from artists whose style she admires, including Cletus Smith, Rick McClure, Phil Starke, Mike Malm, and Kelli Folsom. Online courses include Kathryn Stats and John Pototschnik.

Although Polly enjoys studio painting and still life, she finds trying to capture the beauty of God’s creation outside much more rewarding than any other art form. She finds plein air painting a joyful dance. The fresh air, the birds, trees, streams, rock, clouds – all become an orchestra of elements and compositions already arranged by our Creator for her to paint.

Polly’s works have won awards and been featured in many locations, most recently these include: Edmond Art Association, Oklahoma Art Guild and the Chisholm Trail Art Association. Her works have been featured by Brown Design Group in Grove; American Royal Art Show, Kansas City; Rusty Gables Spring Stampede, Oklahoma City; Dean Lively Gallery, Edmond; and the Guthrie Walk of Art.

Current works are shown at The Artesian Gallery, Sulphur, Oklahoma; Guest Gallery at 50 Penn Place Gallery, Oklahoma City; the Oklahoma Artist Invitational and in her home studio.