Sharon Cannon’s creative life didn’t begin in a studio—it began in a one-room schoolhouse on the plains of South Dakota. Born into a farming family, she spent her early years learning self-reliance, which would shape her life for decades to come. Sharon earned a Master’s degree in Executive Business from USC and built a long career in finance, design, and project management—fields far removed from painting. She eventually became Vice President of Unique Projects in Los Angeles, collaborating with designers on custom furniture for cruise ships, parks, restaurants, public spaces, and private clients. Painting came later—and changed everything.

After decades of practical, left-brain work, Sharon stumbled into an art therapy class that stayed with her for years. Eventually, as retirement approached, she gave herself permission to explore. What began as a tentative step into a painting class turned into a full creative awakening. Today, Sharon lives and paints in Los Angeles, working primarily in oil and mixed media. Her process is tactile and unplanned. She uses palette knives, rags, and her fingers instead of brushes, following color where it leads. For her, painting is not just an art form—it’s a way of getting out of her head and into something freer, bolder, more alive.