Today we’d like to introduce you to Shari Lyon.
Hi Shari, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’m an entrepreneur, a businesswoman, a creative 40s something mom and wife who finds myself in need of a reinvention from time to time! I found encaustics and immediately had to learn more about painting with melted beeswax. I wish you could be in the studio with me! It smells divine!
I was born in Utah and quickly moved to Arizona where I eventually met my husband in high school and added 3 kids over the years. We now live in Utah once again and my kids are all adults. My husband, Howard Lyon and I are both full-time working artists and share a 1000 sq ft studio attached to our home. When we’re not in our studio, we are on some adventure! We love to travel!
Becoming an encaustic artist has been a very roundabout journey for me. I started as a dancer, I loved to create through movement! Music filled my soul and I loved stirring emotions through my dance in others. But my body didn’t support my love, and after multiple surgeries, my surgeon recommended that I set dancing aside. It broke my heart, it was all I ever wanted to do.
So I reinvented myself for the first time. I found that I could be something else, something that I had never considered before, and I loved it! This phase of self-discovery became a pattern. I loved to find new things and make them a part of who I am. Then after 25 years of visiting galleries with my husband and running his fine art career, I came across an encaustic piece that really moved me. It brought back all the emotions that dance used to. It stirred the need to create that had been dormant all these years. I had to learn. Again.
I am mostly self-taught, though over 20 years of being submerged in the world of art through managing my husband’s art career, I have picked up a lot of knowledge along the way. My work is a creation in progress. I hope you will grow along with me!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think the hardest thing about being an artist is the phases of both utter confidences and then also feeling like an imposter. Since I got a late start almost in my 40s, I felt like I had a lot of catching up to do. I felt a little extra pressure to be where my peers were in development. But, I just put my head down and tried to focus on my own progress and growth.
In general, I would say it was a fairly smooth process for me. I had worked with my husband building his art career for 25 years. So there was a lot of learning curves that I had already gotten past. He was my trial run and now I was ready to implement all that I had learned for myself.
The hardest thing with that is that it’s a lot easier to sell someone else’s work than your own.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I paint with beeswax! Encaustic art is one of the oldest forms of art. Encaustic is a painting with a specific mixture of beeswax and damar resin. Painting with hot, melted wax, I also incorporate the use of oil paints, pan pastels, oil sticks, and drawings. I love the smell of the melted beeswax that fills my studio!
The process requires that I have both patience and spontaneity. It’s a rare marriage of being in control and completely losing control. It’s labor-intensive, but what I love most about encaustic is that the outcome is a dreamy, ethereal image with texture and appeal, unlike any other art form. I wish everyone could see encaustic works in person to really appreciate all they have to offer. Photos rarely do them justice.
I am drawn to the imagery and symbolism of trees. I love that people generally have a universal response and connection to the different meanings that trees can have to different people, religions, and cultures. Trees are stoic, grounded, life-giving, and lasting. They are calming, and provide vital oxygen for our every breath.
I also love to work with abstract landscapes. I prefer to not replicate an exact place or time but to create an invitation to a place where the viewer can create the narrative and emotion for themselves. The encaustic process lends itself to very moody, emotional landscapes. Perfect for dreaming of those long-off places you wish to explore!
These places are a respite to calm and center me. Places where I can take in healing deep breaths equal to a good yoga session. When I’m not spending time in my shared studio with my best friend, fellow artist, and hubby, I am usually to be found with him traveling the world and experiencing the art of all cultures.
What’s next?
My hubby and I are both artists, and we tend to live a pretty fluid life. We love to try new things and travel to new places. I hope the future will include a lot of travel again! We used to spend time in Italy 2-3 times a year and it’s been 2019 since we’ve been there.
We’d love to spend some extended time there at some point. We lead tours through Italy, and love to take groups of artists to paint and enjoy the creative energy through the country. Every year looks a little different, but I know it will always be what my husband and I create.
Something I do want to work towards is adding a couple of new galleries to my list, and a couple of new designers to work with. My goal is something in Colorado, and maybe Santa Fe, and Carmel. I have a few galleries on my radar and will work towards getting in where I can.
Pricing:
- Works from $80 and up.
Contact Info:
- Email: art@sharilyon.com
- Website: www.sharilyon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharilyonart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharilyonart
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharilyonart
