About the Artist

Cheryl Sward is an artist and printmaker who works from her studio, Suite Nirvana,  in Carmel, California. 

She is a member of:

Monterey Peninsula Printmakers Club

California Society of Printmakers

Pastel Society of the West Coast

IAPS International Association Of Pastel Societies

SCAPE Souther California Artists Painting for the Environment

ARTIST STATEMENT

It is a joyful energy that drives me to respond to this beautiful world we live in through art. 

As a printmaker,  I use charcoal, acrylic, pastels and mix them with the printmaking process.  For example, I make solar plates of my drawings, digital images of hand drawn art on chine colle over collographs, pastel transfers, and acrylic/watercolor/inking over monoprints. I construct altered books, and three dimensional pieces using prints with mixed media.  I usually start with a simple sketch of my subject, developing the idea with compositional, color, and value studies, before devising the printmaking plan for the piece. 

 I also enjoy the immediacy of pastels as my preferred medium in art.  Charcoal is a favorite as well.  Both materials allow a direct spontaneous connection between my hand and the paper. I work quickly and expressively to convey what has struck me about my subject to the viewer. 

My emphasis is on nature, landscapes, and botanical studies. I live by the coast, and am particularly drawn toward coastal images and scenes. As I get older, I find myself increasingly awestruck by the beautiful and elegant complexity of the world we live in. To capture this is impossible, of course, but I try to express my joy and excitement about the natural world through my art. How can one express the sound of the sea, the smell of the salt air, the intensity of a powerful wave, the changing source of light glistening on the water? This is my challenge and my joy.  The process is all, the print is merely a historical visual document of that process, and a visual record of my relationship to the world.  

Most art work on this site is available for purchase.  Please inquire directly by contacting Cheryl Sward via email:  zenspun@gmail.com