We were lucky to catch up with Sharone Halevy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sharone, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

As a commission based painter, my works are inspired by the stories my clients share with me. I have been incredibly lucky over the years with what people are willing to share with me. One couple commissioned a couple of paintings about their honey moon. This is a common story that couples commissioning a work will share, but for them, the husband of the couple was battling with cancer. He was in remission and things were looking incredibly positive.
I created the painting for them, a beautifully inspired work about their honeymoon in Lapland and the struggles of dealing with cancer.

About two months later, I receive and email saying he had passed away. But the wife wanted to let me know that just before he passed he spoke about how grateful he was they were able to collaborate on telling the story of the painting they commissioned and how it was the last project they got to do together, how he felt really full knowing there was a work of art that told their story.

I cried when I read that email. They were such kind people, but they also are the reason I love doing what I do. To be able to make works that make everyone’s stories feel seen and big and beautiful is what is important. In a world where fame and money seem to be what gets all the attention, I strive to make our day to day lives beautiful and worth capturing.

I had never felt so seen as an artist until I received this email. As heartbreaking and awful of a moment this was, it was such a reminder to keep doing what I was doing and remember that art is so important to have.

Eventually I learned, he gifted other members of his family in his will commissions to work with me as well. It was just…all so special. No words can ever fully explain.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I sort of fell into my life as a painter. For years my primary job was as a theater director. Telling stories has always been my priority as a creative. Especially stories that may seem small or quiet but have massive impacts on who we can be.
I started to paint when I was craving a more tangible way to dealing with some difficult emotions in 2014 and found that others were connecting to my work as well, so I started to offer commissions and learned I loved creating works that were inspired by what people would share with me.
Now I have a specific interview with each client discussing what they hope the painting can evoke, what memories or hopes they want to be reminded of with this painting that will live in their space. We also discuss colors, and most excitingly, I paint to sound. So, the client gets to provide me with what I listen to as I create their work!

This is a deeply unique process to not only me, but those who are commissioning a work. It’s a true emotional collaboration and each work is so specific and meaningful to each person.

I also work on sliding scale. It is important to me that art is accessible to all.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I would say I had to unlearn the lessons of, “make sure people are getting their moneys worth!” I think as an artist we forget that people are coming to us because of our opinions and expressions. I have spent years building a practice to share how I interpret what I am painting. But I think for a while I would get so nervous that I wasn’t putting enough on the canvas or something was done too quickly and therefore it wasn’t enough, to where I would harm the painting I was working on.
Having to learn to just trust what I am bringing to the table abs that people will respond beautifully to that was a difficult lesson to sink in.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

It is not easy being a creative. I think there is a way we are looked at as people who are flaky, kooky, take life lightly. But in reality, we are running businesses. We are in a space of needing to constantly practice and be open to being vulnerable. We celebrate athletes for their commitment and muscles, but artists actually have to work in the same way. And not just that, but to stay constantly motivated to create and observer and create again.
I am not trying to paint artists as martyrs, but to be part of an industry that often have someone uncle say, “my four year old can do that” requires a certain level of confidence, healthy ego, business sense, and motivation that is all self taught and driven.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.artbysharone.com
• Instagram: @art_by_sharone