We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sherry Wolfenbarger Cagan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sherry below.

Alright, Sherry thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

“Courageous Young Cowgirls,” a life-size bronze sculpture, I sculpted is permanently displayed in front of the National Cowgirl Museum and next to the Science and History Museum in Fort Worth Texas. While I am very grateful for all my pieces that are so prominently displayed at Stanford University and Portola Valley CA Town Center among others, this is my most meaningful piece. It is of my daughters, blazing the trail, running bareback on their trusty equine, capturing courage, freedom and adventure-depicting what I want for my girls and all young women. My daughters helped me sculpt this piece when they were young and signed it. They are now both very talented creative artists. My heart is warmed by the letters I receive from people young and old whom this sculpture has touched, the timeless joyful bond between siblings and friends, the love affair of the horse and the inspiration of courageous young cowgirls.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

“Life imitates art, “several times I had finished a piece and afterwards that very image of that piece was in real life on the front cover of a magazine-having the image in your head and heart, truly feeling and creating the motion of the piece make it come to life.

I am known for motion in my pieces, I believe it is important to develop an artists own innate style, something that becomes recognizable in your work.

I sculpt what I love, horses, and have meaning and desire behind them.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My ninth grade teacher was a great inspiration in my life and had a lot to do with my success as an artist. She recognized my talent and fostered it. I highly encourage strong creative art programs in all schools and never underestimate the value of a good teacher.
Most importantly I looked up to her, she was a strong and talented individual herself, a bronze artist. She was strict, the other kids were scared of her, but I experienced a woman who was smart, disciplined and cared. She created art awards to encourage, she showed art in the classroom, she had parents night to exhibit and acknowledge the young artists art. She had me come back to student teach when I went off to highschool. She attended all my exhibits and we remained friends throughout her lifetime. – She inspired me to teach art in both my daughter’s class rooms, which I hope also was inspiring.

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

“Do what you love,” if you’re not sure what that is, explore, follow an interest and keep moving forward.

When I was a young girl, I always loved horses and dreamed of becoming a world champion equestrian and an artist, but did not know how nor did have anyone to guide me-I had to learn how to make things happen.

My goal was to combine all my innate talents, utilize my energy and focus, and work hard diligenly everyday to make it happen.

I am an inductee into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. I am grateful and humbled to have been recognized for being a World Champion Equestrian and accomplished Artist. With the same dedication to become a World Champion, my efforts that disrupted the conventional medical research model was also recognized. I created an interdisciplinary and collaborative research group at the Stanford School of Medicine. In addition, I worked with a dozen Stanford department heads, experts that address the serious consequences of Lyme disease and created an informative documentary, “Taking a Stand for Lyme,” that increased NIH research funding for Lyme Disease. stand4lyme.org

The discipline and commitment and lessons I have learned along the way have taught me resilience and given me the determination to keep moving forward-putting in the effort to make things happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: sherrycagan.com Stand4lyme.org

Image Credits

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