SHARRON LABATT
Sharron was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan Canada and now resides on Echo Lake in the Qu'Appelle Valley in Southern Saskatchewan. She completed a Bachelor of Arts and Education certificate and taught English and Art while raising two sons. During this time, she took summer and evening classes and made a two hour trip to the nearest university working towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Sharron completed two years before deciding to concentrate on her art practice.
The move to a rural setting with its lakes and coulees, outdoor ventures including hiking, cross country skiing and sailing provided the inspiration for her artistic explorations. Admiring Japanese wood prints and brushwork, Sharron painted and did batik on silk which sold through Hansen-Ross Pottery in Fort Qu'Appelle. Folmer Hansen also hired her from 1983- 1985 to execute sgrafitto designs on thrown pots.
Geography and history have also been influences. In 2005, Sharron received a grant from the Heritage Department Government of Saskatchewan to research and produce a show celebrating the 100th anniversary of Saskatchewan. This year long search of provincial archives, cart tracks and forts along the Carlton Trail culminated in the show "Land Trails".
In 2002 two of Sharron's etchings and watercolours on paper were included in "Qu'Appelle: Tales of Two Valleys" at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario, the Mendel Gallery in Saskatoon and in 2003 at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Sharron has always experimented with materials and techniques to capture colour, light and the initial feeling of a moment and place. In 2001, she was chosen one of five finalists in the Western Division of the RBC and Canadian Art Magazine's Contemporary Art Competition held at the Harrison Gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Water is often a prominent feature in her paintings. She has painted "en plein air" on Northern lakes and Caribbean Islands. The developments in acrylic paints and mediums has enabled her work to become more expressive and abstract. Her latest interest is landscape reflected in water.
Sharron can be found most afternoons in her studio on Echo Lake. She is represented by Hansen-Ross House (hansenrosshouse.com) . For general enquiries click here.
Self Portrait, Oil on canvas, 2018