Art Opening - Artist Sharon Portelance @ Gould Academy

Gould Academy is hosting an opening reception on Friday, March 31 from 6-8 p.m. in the Owen Art Gallery for artist Sharon Portelance, Portland, ME. Sharon received her B.F.A. in Jewelry and Silversmithing from the Maine College of Art, Portland, Maine and her M.F.A. degree in metal from the State University of New York at New Paltz.

Sharon currently Chairs the Metalsmithing and Jewelry department at the Maine College of Art, in Portland Maine. Sharon maintains an active studio practice, exhibiting both nationally and internationally. Her work can be viewed in collections at New Mexico State University Museum in Las Cruces, The Samuel Dorskey Museum in New Paltz, New York and at the Okresni Muzeum Ceskeho raje in Turnov, the Czech Republic. Her work has been featured in Ornament Magazine, Metalsmith’s Exhibition in Print and in Lark Book publications “1000 Rings” and “500 Bracelets.” In 2015 she completed a three-month artist in residency in Tallinn, Estonia at the Estonia Academy of Art where she explored stone carving. Sharon is currently developing a new body of work called “Grey Matter” that explores the relationship of the interior of the body to the exterior of the body, while continuing an ongoing investigation into the nature of jewelry and how it can operate both privately and publicly.

Artist Statement
In this work I delicately pierce metal leaving a tracery of patterns found inside of our bodies. Working from magnified views of skin, internal systems and organs I attempt to reveal the complexity, hidden frailties and strengths of our physical being. In a quiet and contemplative space, hours are spent carefully removing metal or drawing lines upon lines, giving my hand a task and my mind a focus while my heart has processed grief and experienced wonderment.

Patterns in the body are often reminiscent of what we find in nature. My work offers us the opportunity to contemplate the intricately woven connections between both our inner and outer worlds.