Surrounded by horses, dogs and a donkey on her own property, as well as longhorn cattle, goats and chickens on her neighbors’ property, artist Sharon Markwardt’s favorite subject is animals. Always with a camera in hand, the oil painter captures the personalities and often human-like interactions between these creatures—many of which she knows on a personal level. 
Tres Hombres, oil on canvas, 30 x 48”
In her latest body of work, Markwardt is expanding beyond her usual subjects of donkeys and cattle into species she’s never painted before, like armadillos and bears.
“I [want to] make each creature more alive than ever,” she says. Her color palette is bright and energetic, with the highlights on her subjects’ fur often captured in neon blues, pinks, purples and greens. These new paintings also introduce gold leaf into many of the animals’ eyes to “better reflect their personalities.”
Eyes Upon You, oil on canvas, 60 x 48”
Markwardt’s signature vibrant color first emerged after the artist had a bad fall off her horse as a novice rider in her 40s. “The injury prompted me to learn more calm assertiveness and bravery, which spilled over from horsemanship into other aspects of my life, including my painting,” she reflects.
“I started using color in a bolder way and honed my color vision, which was pretty acute to begin with. I take the colors I actually see in my photos, then visually crank them up a notch to add life and joy to the work. Collectors tell me they are fun to live with and bring smiles to their days.”
Wise Asses, oil on canvas, 48 x 48”
Mother’s Day, oil with gold and silver leaf on canvas, 40 x 30”
Collectors will have the opportunity to explore Markwardt’s paintings during an upcoming exhibition titled Color of the West: Golden Gazes at Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe.
One of her pieces in the show, Eyes Upon You, is an especially striking portrait of a longhorn.
“The longhorn steer in Eyes Upon You lived directly across the street from me near Fort Worth. Because he was handled a lot and friendly, I got lots of good photos without having to worry [much] about getting skewered! I love shooting up at him from the ground like in this piece…I took some artistic license with the patterns of his spots to hint at some Texas iconography—fun little ‘Easter eggs,’” she says.
Where’s My Beer?, oil on canvas, 12 x 16”
“When collectors view my work, I hope they will feel a connection to the personality of each soul through those golden gazes,” says Markwardt, “and to come away with a smile knowing nature embraces and unites us all.” Color of the West: Golden Gazes opens November 4 with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through November 25. —
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