Sep 29th 2018

Join Cultivate Urban Rainforest & Gallery for the Opening Reception of Whispering Branches and Dark Dark Dirt by Evanston-based artist Sharon Gilmore.

Sharon describes her sculptures as containers for the soul that dwells within.

Using branches, mud and materials salvaged from industry, she builds forms from the inside out that provide space and protection for the soul to live . Some of the sculptures have solid dark exteriors while others appear fragile and open meshed. They reference the human body, tools, and objects that may have been used in spiritual practices.

Gilmore’s experiences as a nurse profoundly influenced
her artistic life. In the early 1970’s she volunteered as a public health nurse in the altiplano of Peru. During these two years, she witnessed many sacred ceremonies and learned about symbols incorporated into weavings and pottery. It was in Peru that she started making art. She continues to be drawn to cultures vastly different from her own.

She completed her BFA in Montreal in 1976, and her MFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1985. Simultaneously she worked part time as a nurse in various specialties including the rehabilitation after spinal cord injuries, mother and newborn care, and lastly Hospice/ Palliative Care. Repeatedly she witnessed the human spirit emerge, struggle, glow and then depart. She no longer practices nursing but describes those experiences as indelible.

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