Sharon is an honours graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. She focused her studies on enameling with Fay Rooke (enamelist/ artist/ educator) and jewellery with Beth Alber (silversmith/ artist/ jeweller/ educator) along with a good helping of painting, drawing and design. Both Beth and Fay are amazing artists who continue to inspire her.
She also studied at Georgian College in Barrie where she caught the jewellery bug from Don Stewart, one of Canadas’ most talented, enthusiastic, artist, silversmith, jewellers.
After art college she received a resident’s scholarship to work at Harbourfront studios in Toronto, worked at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary and then worked at Fairthorne Studios in Toronto with Vic and Gayle Fairthorne (original One of a Kind Show participants...that finally retired in 2015!) where she learned production and marketing of arts and crafts.
She has had many one person exhibits of her works and also participated in many many group shows as well.
Sharon loves to work with mixed media. Her favourite material is probably copper, but she also loves shiny things of all kinds. She “upcycles” second hand store silver plate, brass and copper dishes, jewellery, boxes and other interesting odds and ends. She also uses silver, semiprecious stones, pearls, mother of pearl, glass, lots of wire, acrylic or oil paint and composite board to make all kinds of things of all sizes.
Her inspiration comes mainly from the people and landscape around her, her garden and the wide variety of materials which she is always collecting.
Sharon Simmers