bio
Sharon L. Bjyrd is best known for her vibrant portraits celebrating the beauty and diversity of the black experience. "I seek to honor the individuality of people of color and to depict the different ways we go about expressing our blackness."

Sharon was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, attending Kenwood Academy High School and Chicago Metropolitan High School. After moving to Madison she attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, studying Social Work and Afro American studies and went on to work in the domestic violence field and serving women in poverty at organizations like the YWCA of Madison and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence. ​Self-taught, with a few classes along the way, Sharon entered the art world as a second passion after a life slowdown due to Lupus and sickle cell disease created the space to re-discover her love of art in the form of painting. Her medium of choice is acrylic paint, though she sometimes creates mixed media pieces. Influenced by contemporary artists such as Kehinde Wiley and Kerry James Marshall, Sharon melds her love of African prints with colorful portraits of Afro Americans who uniquely express their blackness.

Sharon's work is on public display at University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics new East Clinic, Madison College; has been shown in both solo and group shows in Wisconsin and Illinois, has been documented in the book "Let's Talk About It, The Art, The Artists and The Racial Justice Movement on Madison's State Street", at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art's Art Fair on the Square; and the historic South Side Community Art Center, Chicago.

artist's  statement

In the heart of the Midwest, where the seasons paint their own stories upon the landscape, I find my canvas an echo of a deeper, more resonant voice. My brush dances to the rhythm of a legacy, each stroke a hymn to the unsung, each color a note in the symphony of black voices that deserve to be heard, amplified, and celebrated.

I am inspired by the strength and grace of those who stand tall in the face of adversity, their stories a testament to resilience and dignity. My work is a tapestry of elegant, dignified, and effortlessly regal manifestations of Afrocentrism—a celebration of black beauty, intellect, and spirit that often remains unseen in the mainstream narrative.Through the vibrant hues, brown skin portraits and African inspired prints of my paintings, I seek to replace the monolithic and often oppressive narrative of the black experience in America with one of diversity, richness, and profound humanity.

My art is a beacon casting light on social justice, healthcare, and the myriad facets of black life that deserve attention and reverence. In each piece, there is a whisper of history, a shout of triumph, a song of hope. My canvases are not just art; they are a call to action, a plea for recognition, a celebration of a culture that is both ancient and ever-evolving.

May you find in my work a reflection of the regal, the vibrant, the unyielding spirit of a people whose stories are as boundless as the sky, as deep as the ocean, and as enduring as time.

Artist Resumè
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