Sharon France
Malta, Illinois
Artist Sharon France paints peaceful countryside homesteads with a touch of fairytale charm and a modern style. "I paint my landscapes simply and from the heart, hoping to share the quiet I feel in the country," says Sharon. Her love for rural life began in childhood during visits to her grandparents' remote Midwestern farm, memories that continue to guide her work today. Now living on her own farmstead in Malta, Illinois, she draws inspiration from the open fields, old barns, and gentle stillness of the Heartland. Sharon works in a home studio near a large bay window that fills her space with natural light. When she sets her brushes down, she enjoys hiking and exploring historical sites.
Artist Statement
Why do I paint the country?
I have been blessed to live and paint on a quiet old farmstead surrounded by fields for most of my life now. It started when I was a kid growing up. We lived at the edge of town, and I remember walking through the cornfield behind our house and feeling the damp earth on my bare feet. The trips to my grandparents’ remote Midwestern farm are some of my favorite childhood memories, and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to live in the country the way they did. My husband grew up on a farm, and soon after we married, we moved to the country. We live on an old farmstead with a farmhouse and a red barn, which continues to inspire my work. It gives me a deep sense of peace and happiness to paint my quiet country and landscape scenes.
The ideas for my paintings come from imagination and from memories of places I have been here in the Midwestern Heartland. I paint my landscapes simply and from the heart. In my work, I want to capture the feeling of peace, quiet, and isolation found in the country.
I have always been fascinated by old farmsteads, especially the farmhouses and barns. Some of my fondest memories and greatest inspirations come from visiting my grandparents’ farm. Their home sat at the end of a long lane that wound past the old barn, horse pasture, granary, corncrib, machine shed, and chicken house before reaching the farmhouse with its white picket fence. The croquet set was always on the lawn, and Grandma often had one of her homemade pies cooling on the counter. It felt like a little bit of heaven on earth to me.
My painting style leans toward Realism, although I often use elements of Tonalism and Minimalism. I have been inspired by Tonalists, Hudson River School artists, Minimalists, and Realist painters. I work in acrylic, oil, and soft pastel, although I most often use acrylic on stretched canvas for my Heartland landscapes. I build up many layers using both wet and dry brush techniques. My work has been described as having an intriguing peacefulness in its quiet simplicity.
I have been blessed to live and paint on a quiet old farmstead surrounded by fields for most of my life now. It started when I was a kid growing up. We lived at the edge of town, and I remember walking through the cornfield behind our house and feeling the damp earth on my bare feet. The trips to my grandparents’ remote Midwestern farm are some of my favorite childhood memories, and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to live in the country the way they did. My husband grew up on a farm, and soon after we married, we moved to the country. We live on an old farmstead with a farmhouse and a red barn, which continues to inspire my work. It gives me a deep sense of peace and happiness to paint my quiet country and landscape scenes.
The ideas for my paintings come from imagination and from memories of places I have been here in the Midwestern Heartland. I paint my landscapes simply and from the heart. In my work, I want to capture the feeling of peace, quiet, and isolation found in the country.
I have always been fascinated by old farmsteads, especially the farmhouses and barns. Some of my fondest memories and greatest inspirations come from visiting my grandparents’ farm. Their home sat at the end of a long lane that wound past the old barn, horse pasture, granary, corncrib, machine shed, and chicken house before reaching the farmhouse with its white picket fence. The croquet set was always on the lawn, and Grandma often had one of her homemade pies cooling on the counter. It felt like a little bit of heaven on earth to me.
My painting style leans toward Realism, although I often use elements of Tonalism and Minimalism. I have been inspired by Tonalists, Hudson River School artists, Minimalists, and Realist painters. I work in acrylic, oil, and soft pastel, although I most often use acrylic on stretched canvas for my Heartland landscapes. I build up many layers using both wet and dry brush techniques. My work has been described as having an intriguing peacefulness in its quiet simplicity.
Artist Background
Northern Illinois University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1981
Press
Landscape Paintings of the American Midwest by Sharon France
Midwest Landscapes in Red Barns
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