Visual Artist Spotlight: Sherry Scheitel
Visual Artist Spotlight: Sherry Scheitel
ARTIST INTERVIEW:
Q1. When did you decide to become an artist?
A1. I think I was born an artist. My parents recognized that I had some artistic leanings and found ways to nurture that from the time that I was around five years old and continued to find teachers for me as I grew up.
Q2. When, if at all, did you realize that God had called you to become an artist?
The only other profession I might have chosen is archaeologist. I’m trying to pursue that a bit too. Last year I went on a trip to Israel and participated in an archaeological dig under the old city of Jerusalem. I love digging for artifacts, especially when they help to verify the truth of the Bible.
Q3. Where did you receive your training?
A3. Along with my random art teachers as I was growing up, I switched schools in high school so that I would be at a school with an art program. I went to Middle Tennessee State University and graduated with a BFA with an emphasis in commercial art and minors in graphic design, photography, and metals.
Q4. How did your training influence what you’re doing now?
A4. Currently I am making a lot of jewelry. I didn’t for many years, but about five years ago I got back into it. I have done some graphic design, but currently I seem to be more into crafting and fine art.
Q5. Please describe your art style and medium and why you chose that particular one (or how God influenced this choice).
My art style is very eclectic. If you look at my different things that I make, you might think that several different people made them, or maybe one schizophrenic person.
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One of the first pieces of jewelry that I made when I got back into it was a necklace with all of the fruit of the spirit on it. I like to make things that either quote the word of Yehovah or direct people to consider the beauty of His creation. I paint, do mosaics, baskets, jewelry, garden, cook, computer graphics. I don’t want art to imitate art, I want life to be art.
Q6. What do you do or use to keep yourself inspired for your art work?
A6. I have friends who are artists who inspire me and also the internet. Pinterest is a new obsession.
Q7. In what ways do you incorporate God into your work?
A7.I think I answered some of that in question 5. I would like to do some mixed media collage incorporating scriptures.
Q8. Is there a class or offer you would like to share with my readers?
A8. Soon I may be offering a class at The Royal Brush and Wall Candy Custom Framing and Gallery in Columbia, Tennessee. They will be jewelry classes. The one at the Royal Brush will involve making ceramic clay elements and combining them into jewelry and the one at Wall Candy I’m still working on an idea. It will probably involve jewelry too. Times are yet to be announced.
Q9. Any final thoughts about sharing your art work with my blog readers?
A9. I know a lot of people who, when they find out that I’m an artist, they say,”I wish I was creative.” Well, if you wish you were, just do it! You may not do it well at first, but the more you keep at it, the better you will get at it. In this age of Youtube, you can learn how to do anything you want to do. That’s how I have taught myself many techniques. I think that we were all made by our Creator to be creative in some way, whether it is in cooking, teaching, gardening, being a mechanic, homemaking, health care, or whatever your gift is, do it as if you were doing it for Yehovah and He will direct you. Proverbs 16:3
ARTIST BIO—Sherry Scheitel
Sherry does not remember a time in her life when she was not an artist. Her parents enrolled her in art classes at the age of five because she had always shown an interest in art. She has a BFA from Middle Tenneesse State University with an emphasis in commercial art , and a minor in metals and photography.
Most of the media that Sherry works in currently is self taught. Media and techniques: painting, jewelry making, mosaics, baskets, fabrics, crochet, torch fired enamel, clay, polymer clay, painted furniture, murals and handmade paper.
If you have a project in mind that you would like to have done, please contact Sherry and she will be happy to show you examples of her other work to make your idea become a reality.
stillwaters@edge.net
(c) 2012 Cheryl Cope
Cheryl Cope on Google+