Artist Biography
Cheryl is a fourth generation Colorado native, with a great appreciation of nature and the environment and the preservation of both. Born and raised at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and with parents that enjoyed fishing, hiking and camping, Cheryl was introduced at an early age to the beauty of the Colorado mountains and developed her own love for the outdoors that inflences her artwork today. Working as a “plein-air” (on location) and studio landscape artist, Cheryl’s inspiration comes from the wide open spaces of Colorado, New Mexico or somewhere as far away as a rolling European hillside.
She states “Painting en plein-air, (her favorite way to work), is always a challenge, never-ever routine!
The changing light and weather conditions create a sense of urgency that translates to a spontaneous and loose interpretation of the scene, something that is very difficult to achieve in the studio. Besides, it’s a great excuse to be outdoors!”
She works mainly in oil but loves to work in watercolor as well. Each medium has it’s own characteristics which when using clean vivid colors and as few brush strokes as possible makes for a loose impressionistic finished work of art. She states, “Keeping the painting fresh, not over-worked is part of the fun and challenge of a good artist, which is always the goal”. Another goal, “I want the viewer to be able to feel what I felt when painting the piece….. feel the warm sun, or the cool breeze, or whatever else is going on nearby and therefore capture the essense of the scene for themselves.”
Cheryl’s paintings have been presented in prestigious national shows such as The American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, Gilcrease Museum, Windows to the Divine and the Governor’s Invitational to name a few.
Cheryl studied fine art and design at The Rocky Mountain College of Art and at the Colorado Institute of Art. She also studied with well known artists, Scott Christensen, Kim English, Quang Ho, Ken Bachaus and Michael Workman. She is a current member of Oil Painters of America and The Art Students League of Denver. She is also a Signature member and Vice President of the American Impressionist Society and a signature member of Plein Air Artists of Colorado.
She has won numerous awards and is currently in Corporate as well as Private collections around the world.
Short Resume
- Most Recent Juried shows & Invitationals
- Wanderlust – Invitational Landscape Exhibition, Howard Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, WA, May 2017
- One Woman Show, Saks Galleries, Denver, CO, October 2016
- Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition 2016, Marshall Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
- Windows to the Divine ”Abstraction & Represntation, Finding Common Ground ” 2016, Space Gallery, Denver
- American Impressionist Society’s Annual National Juried Exhibition 2009, 10, 13, 14, 15 16, 17, 18
- Gilcrease Museum, Collectors Reserve, October 2014 and 2015
- Mountain Oyster Club 46th Annual Sale and Exhibition 2015
- Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, 2014
- Oil Painters of America 22nd Annual Naitonal Exhibition 2013
- Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition 2012
- Crested Butte Plein Air Invitational, July2012 & 2014
- Continental Divide Land Trust Plein Air, July 2014 and 2015
- Douglas Land Conservancy Plein Air, June 2014 and 2015, 2016
- Denver Young Artists Orchestra, “Painted Violin”, 2014
- Art & Soul 25th Anniversary Invitational and Auction for the Art Students League of denver 2013
- Windows to the Divine Invitational 2012
- Governor’s Art Invitational, 2011 & 2014
- Capitol Christmas Tree National Art Competition 2012
- Richard Schmid 17th Annual Fine Art Auction 2012
- Lone Tree National Art Exhibition 2007 – 2012
- Plein Air Artists of Colorado National Juried Exhibitions 2007 -2016
- Invited to provide oil painting demonstrations for the Denver Art Museum during the 2013 Georgia O’Keefe exhibit in the month of April 2013 and August 2015
Recent Awards
- Honorable Mention, Oil Painters of America, 2016 Online Showcase
- Artists Choice and 2nd Place, Continental Divide Land Trust Plein Air, Breckenridge, CO, July 2015
- 2nd Place, Continental Divide Land Trust Plein Air, Breckenridge, CO, July 2014
- Award of Merit, Plein Air Artists of Colorado National Juried Exhibition at Abend Gallery 2013
- Honarable Mention, Denver Plein Air 2012
- Grand Prize and Official Image of the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree National Art Competition & in the permanent Art Collection of the U.S. Capitol
Represented by:
- Saks Galleries, Denver, CO
- Oh Be Joyful Galleries, Crested Butte, CO
- Wild Horse Gallery, Steamboat Springs, CO
Published In
- Southwest Art Magazine, “Artists to Watch”, June 2014
- “Amidst the Madness” Poetry and Paintings, Author: Jennifer Kenyon, 2013
- Southwest Art Magazine, May 2013
- Denver Post, Your Hub, November 13, 2012
- Front page, Denver Post, Saturday, August 11, 2012, Photo of Plein air painting for Denver Plein Air Festival
- American Art Collector Magazine, October 2012
- American Art Collector Magazine, June 2010
- Southwest Art Magazine, October 2009,
- Rocky Mountain News 2007, Denver Post 2006, The Daily Camera 2000
Collections
- James Volker, Whiting Petroleum, Denver, CO
- “Gallery of Trees” U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C.
- Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center, Lafayette, CO, Almerica Financial Group, Denver, Colorado,
- Adams County Historical Society, City of Westminster, Town of Ouray, CO
- Title America, Westminster, CO, David Puterbaugh of the Leisy Brewing Company, Peoria, Illinois,
- Atlanticare Regional Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, Center for Childbirth, New Jersey
- City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California
