Sharon Irla
Sharon Irla created this portrait entirely in oils, beginning with a burnt umber underpainting, following with a grisaille layer of gray tones, and finishing with full color.
Creativity runs through every medium Sharon Irla explores, from digital art and murals to painting, photography, and 3D CAD. Nurtured from a young age by her Cherokee mother, she developed a deep appreciation for art and design that would guide her career. Influenced by her mother’s fashion talents, Irla became an award-winning classical painter and developed a patented, shape-defining surface design methodology for fashion. Her work also appears in children’s books, extending her impact to new generations of readers and art lovers.
A founding member of the Cherokee Artist’s Association (now the Southeastern Indian Artists Association), she has contributed to her community through teaching and mentorship. “I’m drawn to women with formidable personalities,” she says, noting that developing Deborah Sampson’s portrait from the only known sketch of her made this project especially meaningful.