Sharon Irla
—email—
irlaart@yahoo.com
—Studio—
Tahlequah, OK
Hours: By Appointment Only
Contact: irlaart@yahoo.com
www.sharonirla.com
—Galleries—
- Five Civilized Tribes Museum - 1101 Honor Heights Dr., Muskogee, OK 74145 (918) 683-1701
- Tulsa Indian Art Market - 5014 S Sheridan Rd, Tulsa, OK 74145 (918) 664-0626
- Cherokee Artists' Association Gallery - Tahlequah, OK 74465 (918)458-0008
Artist, muralist, photographer, and founding member of Cherokee Artist's Assoc., Sharon Irla began taking commissions to create art for businesses and multi-million dollar homes in 1999. One of her first commissions was a 2-year project for several Trompe l'oeil murals, in an Italian Villa styled residence. These well received, realistic murals were featured on the home-design show called "Designing Texas".
In 2003, Irla packed it all up and left the Dallas area for the home of her ancestors in Cherokee Nation, OK. "I had an irrepressible need to portray my culture through my art and I felt it necessary to immerse myself in it, to be able to do it as authentically as possible. Traveling around as an 'Army brat' only allowed for sporadic visits back to my grandmother's, who was Cherokee - so I didn't grow up with a life-long, insider's view of our culture."
Irla's luminous paintings depict Native American women in which Irla seeks to capture contemporary, as well as traditional and historical Cherokee feminine and matriarchal themes. Her works reach beyond the visual aesthetic, broaching the realm of historian, as Irla is very purposeful in researching and choosing subject matters that will illustrate the presence and importance of Native American women – both in historic and contemporary settings.
Through early work as a commissioned muralist, Irla acquired the painting techniques required of a commissioned artist, muralist and decorative artist - all rolled into one. She credits this period of time as the experience through which she “… learned that faux finish techniques brought a better understanding of how the juxtaposition of colors, layers of paint, glazes, and a large variety of brushes all play a major role in achieving realism.”
But it was also this early exploration of paint applications that worked it's way into Irla's custom frames. Collectors of some of Irla’s Cherokee portraits are, in effect, acquiring two works of art, as Irla designs and hand- builds large custom frames for her most recent paintings. These unique, custom frames subtly incorporate stylized ancient Cherokee / Southeastern Woodland symbols and iconography, which delicately echo and enhance the themes established within the paintings.
Her compelling photography captures the beauty and lives of contemporary Native American people within the context of their environment in Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma. Her work becomes an artistic documentary that reveals an intimate look behind the veil of stereotypical perceptions of Indian life... a depiction of where we are today, in the journey of the Cherokee people and their culture... as well a personal journey of discovery that becomes intimately woven throughout her work.
Artwork and Limited Edition giclees can be purchased online at: www.sharonirla.com
In 2003, Irla packed it all up and left the Dallas area for the home of her ancestors in Cherokee Nation, OK. "I had an irrepressible need to portray my culture through my art and I felt it necessary to immerse myself in it, to be able to do it as authentically as possible. Traveling around as an 'Army brat' only allowed for sporadic visits back to my grandmother's, who was Cherokee - so I didn't grow up with a life-long, insider's view of our culture."
Irla's luminous paintings depict Native American women in which Irla seeks to capture contemporary, as well as traditional and historical Cherokee feminine and matriarchal themes. Her works reach beyond the visual aesthetic, broaching the realm of historian, as Irla is very purposeful in researching and choosing subject matters that will illustrate the presence and importance of Native American women – both in historic and contemporary settings.
Through early work as a commissioned muralist, Irla acquired the painting techniques required of a commissioned artist, muralist and decorative artist - all rolled into one. She credits this period of time as the experience through which she “… learned that faux finish techniques brought a better understanding of how the juxtaposition of colors, layers of paint, glazes, and a large variety of brushes all play a major role in achieving realism.”
But it was also this early exploration of paint applications that worked it's way into Irla's custom frames. Collectors of some of Irla’s Cherokee portraits are, in effect, acquiring two works of art, as Irla designs and hand- builds large custom frames for her most recent paintings. These unique, custom frames subtly incorporate stylized ancient Cherokee / Southeastern Woodland symbols and iconography, which delicately echo and enhance the themes established within the paintings.
Her compelling photography captures the beauty and lives of contemporary Native American people within the context of their environment in Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma. Her work becomes an artistic documentary that reveals an intimate look behind the veil of stereotypical perceptions of Indian life... a depiction of where we are today, in the journey of the Cherokee people and their culture... as well a personal journey of discovery that becomes intimately woven throughout her work.
Artwork and Limited Edition giclees can be purchased online at: www.sharonirla.com
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