SHARON NICOLE DAUGHERTY

 Artist's Statement

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I am a self-taught sketch artist and painter from Philadelphia. Painting, for me, is an exploration of the human experience. Through simplified figures, bold color, and intuitive mark-making, I explore the emotions, relationships, and stories that make us human.

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My first favorite artwork was my parents’ wallpaper, a collection of small drawings of people: couples with strollers, women with dogs, children with toys. I spent hours studying those figures, composing their stories in my mind. Growing up in Philadelphia, my big sister took me on adventures through the city, where those imagined stories came to life. My brother, a super-stylish designer, introduced me to fashion and the expressive possibilities of exaggerating the human figure. These experiences continue to shape my work.

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My process is largely instinctive and intuitive. I never paint without music, whether it’s jazz, neo-soul, or Afrobeats. I follow my instincts and the rhythm, allowing figures, colors, and stories to emerge. My work balances figuration and abstraction, leaving room for ambiguity and inviting viewers to imagine the lives and emotions behind the figures. What emerges comes from the deepest part of me.

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I have exhibited in galleries and private shows in the United States and the United Kingdom, and I am grateful for my collectors around the world. I paint in my home studio in Georgia, where my husband, two daughters, and son-in-law continue to feed my spirit.