Artist’s Statement
My earliest memory is of standing under the blazing sun beside my grandfather as he dug in his garden. From a young age, I began collecting natural specimens—filling my pockets with rocks and tin cans with sweet gum seeds. That deep love of the natural world has never left me.
In my paintings, I interpret and document the landscapes that have shaped my life. Hazy, flowing fields of color reflect the shifting, often untidy rhythms of growth, decay, and renewal. Through layered textures and nuanced hues, I explore the interplay of light, form, and change inherent in the natural world.
Much like a field naturalist, I gather artifacts and specimens during my time outdoors, bringing them into the studio for closer observation and study. Re-creating and transforming the patterns and surfaces I find is both a joyful and meditative act—one that reconnects me with a sense of childlike wonder and boundless imagination.
Biography
Shara Appanaitis is a visual artist whose work is deeply influenced by her connection to the natural world. Born and raised in East Texas, she grew up amid the Great Piney Woods, where she developed a lifelong appreciation for the textures, light, and atmosphere of the landscape.
Her artistic journey began in high school with a traditional film photography course, sparking a passion for creative expression that led her to pursue formal art training. She earned her Master of Arts degree from the University of Houston–Clear Lake, with a focus on sculpture and ceramics. Following completion of her graduate studies in 2013, Shara shifted her focus to painting, which has since become her primary medium.
Shara’s work has been exhibited in galleries and art spaces across the United States. She now lives and works near the Blue Ridge Mountains, where her home studio is nestled within sixty acres of mountainous wilderness—a setting that continues to inspire her artistic practice each day.
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