What's New At Gumbo

Artist: Sherry Barnett

Born in Arkansas, I spent my early years in Mississippi and came to Pensacola 30 years ago. I was also privileged to live in Key Largo and Key West for a period of time. I am a self taught artist and consider an open mind and heart in the school of life to be my best credential. At the age of six, I tore the back off of canvas covered books and used my mother’s left over paint-by-number paints to create my first painting. Thus the journey began.

Since that time, I have had an insatiable hunger to recreate detailed images and textures that fire the mind and heart. Until the time of proceeding with a design, I never know what materials I will use to create my pieces. I work in all mediums, from oil, clay, wood, bondo, paper, metals, rocks and general discards. My greatest excitement is to hear one of my clients say “How’d you do that??”. Many of my pieces feature intricate, time consuming detail, such as pointillism and cross-hatching, as seen in Aboriginal art.

One of my most popular designs were hammered metal sun sculptures. Normally, I don’t care to recreate the same pieces, but I made and sold numerous sun sculptures in the Gulf Coast area in the past five years. But because they were mostly commissioned pieces, I was able to vary the design, texture and color slightly to suit each client’s décor and taste. Each piece was made with over 1000 hammer strikes and ranged from 36” to 45” in diameter.

I have been an active participant in the Pensacola News Journal’s program, “Pelicans in Paradise” and created four exhibits, purchased by local business sponsors to benefit the “Newspapers in Education” program. These sponsored exhibits have produced thousands of dollars to put newspapers in the hands of our children and schools and continue to do so with the production and sale of figurines and ornaments fashioned after these pelican exhibits.

"The Bride"

Dimensions: 36in x 46in

Price: $1200.00

"Native Sun"

Dimensions: 26" Diameter

Price: Sold

"The Last Letter"

Dimensions: 36in x 46in

Price: $850.00

Folk Artist: Sharon Brazile

Sharon Brazile is a self-taught folk artist born in Brewton, Alabama which is in Escambia County. Her work, inspiration and art come from early childhood memories. She spent a lot of her time at her grandparents, Cleveland and Queen Esther Brazile.

Her time there was spent playing in the yard and exploring the fields with her cousins. She noticed the beautiful sceneries that surrounded their home. The love of the land continued to seek her attention. Landscapes inspire her the most.

As time went on, Sharon pursued other interests and left her artistic abilities in the closet. Only in the last few years, did she re-enter the art world. She pursued art courses as elective classes at Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton, Alabama and Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama under the direction of Stephen Walker.

Sharon feels that with a stroke of a brush, art can speak to the universe. “Art is quiet, loud, speechless, verbal, lovely, loveless, arrogant, vague, tranquil, colorful, dull, sharp, dark, and sexy, woman, and man and represents nations. Art can go all over the world with the stroke of a brush. When man cannot speak, art will speak to the heart and soul of the universe.”

Her mediums consist of: Acrylic, oil and watercolor.

2009- Academy of Fine Arts, Inc., “Southern Roots”

Juried Exhibition,

3^rd Place Painting Award, “Granddad it’s Sunday evening,

“Baseball Time”

Downtown Birmingham Public Library

Birmingham, Alabama

2008-NAACP award for Outstanding African-American in the Arts

At Miles College

Fairfield, Alabama

2007-The Alabama College System, Chancellor of Arts Award Juried Art Exhibition

3^rd Place Painting Award for “All nations Must Serve”