Sharon Wagner

I was born in a small town in the mid-west, Clinton, Missouri, where I grew up. As a child, I spent a lot of time outside playing. I remember my favorite place was sitting in the middle of a cherry tree just looking out on my world. When we moved away from that house, Daddy promised he’d plant a cherry tree for me. To be an artist, I believe you have to take your mind to that favorite place and just look out on your world. When I took art classes in high school, I met Mr. Roddy, my teacher that marched to a little different beat. He always encouraged us to view what we could see. One day in art class I remember he painted a streak of gray across my perfect blue sky, and said, “The sky is not always blue.” Through the years I have learned that the world contains fascination and beauty; even in what some people would think is not beautiful.

I live in a mid-west community named Lee’s Summit, a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. All of my children are now grown and I am privileged to also have five grandchildren. I spent most of my life teaching children from age six to eighteen. I always found the beauty in each and everyone of them. Now, I look for beauty in objects that I choose to paint, not just what is traditionally thought of as beautiful. I have developed my painting skills by finding an art class in Lee’s Summit with an inspiring teacher named Teddy Jackson. People say that I have talent; however, I believe talent is mostly a love of the challenging painting and the commitment to practice!

Everyone is a amateur when they begin. Teddy is encouraging and has a keen eye in recognizing what needs more practice!! She has also introduced me to the plein art community. There are so many artist with experiences to share as we all go on this journey called art.