A North Carolina native, Sharon Hockfield has always viewed life through a painter’s lens. She took art lessons at the Mint Museum as a young child, won numerous high school art awards and dabbled in art courses in college. Though her career in public education took her away from painting, it did not stop her interest. Travel always included art museums, galleries and botanical gardens. She describes her lifelong interest in gardening as “painting with plants.”

In 2007, Sharon worked with artist Anne Cowie painting paper for her daughter’s wedding invitations. Feeling right at home with a paintbrush in hand, she began studying with Andy Braitman. She has studied with Tony Griffin, Wayne McDowell and Cynthia Packard.

Sharon is honored to be the winner of the 2014 Art with Heart Emerging Artist competition. She was the featured solo artist at the Powerhouse Project Gala in June, 2015, and received Honorable Mention in The Body Beautiful exhibit at Ciel Gallery in October, 2015. She is an invited artist for ArtFields 2016.