In the Studio with Sharon J. Burton

Today, we are going In the Studio with artist Sharon J. Burton. Her artwork is on display for our current 25th Anniversary Legacy exhibition

on display June 24 - August 30, 2026 in our Hal Gomer Gallery.

Sharon J. Burton is an artist, art curator, author, poet and certified creative coach and Founder of Spark Your Creative based in the Washington, DC area. She is a visual artist whose preferred medium is collage and mixed media and has exhibited her art in galleries, art venues and other settings across the country since 2007. Sharon has curated a number of art exhibitions in the Washington, DC area since 2006 and has served as an art consultant for novice art collectors.

Since 2016, she has focused on helping people in "creative recovery"...those looking to revive or jump start their creativity through group and individual coaching, workshops, her blog and as the host of Spark Your Creative Podcast which features artists and other creatives who are using their unique talents to create more mindful communities and a safer world.

Sharon is the author of Creative Sparks: 21 Affirmations and Inspiration for Creativity at Midlife (Swiner Publishing Company, 2024) which is a guidebook for artists and others who want to launch their creative passions after 50.

To learn more about Sharon, and her artwork, please visit her website and Instagram.

What drives you to continue making art?

I continue making art because visual art is one of my deepest passions and a powerful way for me to explore, express, and communicate ideas that matter. I am especially committed to creating work that celebrates the resilience, strength, and enduring spirit of African American people and our history. Through my mixed-media and collage practice, I seek to honor stories that deserve to be remembered while opening space for new perspectives and possibilities. I am driven to keep pushing the boundaries of collage, breaking new ground with the medium and discovering fresh ways to tell meaningful visual stories.

What has the process of developing your own artistic voice been like?

Developing my artistic voice has been a process of trial and error, experimentation, and learning to trust my own creative instincts. It is an ongoing journey shaped by current events, experiences from my personal life, and my exposure to the processes and practices of other artists. Over time, I have become more willing to explore the subjects and ideas that resonate deeply with me while allowing my work to evolve naturally. My artistic voice continues to grow as I remain curious, take creative risks, and discover new ways to express what I see, feel, and want to communicate.

How do you decide a piece is finished? Do you ever come back to something you previously considered finished?

Deciding when a piece is finished is largely an intuitive process for me. There is a point when I simply feel that the work has said what it needs to say and that nothing more needs to be added or changed. I have learned to trust that inner sense of completion rather than overworking the piece. Once I consider a work finished, I have never returned to it to make changes.

How do other artists influence your work? Do you consider your practice collaborative?

Other artists have a profound influence on my work, particularly artists such as the late Betye Saar, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Lorna Simpson, and Renée Stout. Their ability to use imagery, symbolism, history, memory, and personal narrative inspires me to go deeper with my own subjects and to consider new ways of telling complex visual stories. When I create work that is inspired by another artist, I do not see it as imitation; rather, it becomes a response to what I have encountered in their work and a conversation between their artistic language and my own experiences, questions, and creative vision. In that sense, I do consider my practice collaborative—an ongoing dialogue across time, influences, histories, and perspectives that ultimately leads me toward something uniquely my own.

Please describe a meaningful experience you've had at Chesapeake Arts Center

My meaningful experiences at Chesapeake Arts Center have centered on participating in exhibitions with themes that resonate deeply with me and connect to the subjects I explore in my artistic practice. Each opportunity has allowed me to share my work in a space that values diverse voices and meaningful creative expression. I believe Chesapeake Arts Center is a valuable asset to the community it serves, providing important opportunities for artists and audiences to connect through the arts. I also deeply admire the staff’s dedication to the center’s mission and their commitment to supporting creativity, artists, and the broader community.