About Sonda Cheesebrough
My venture in working with wood has led me to create unique furniture and charcuterie, sourcing local materials as well as repurposing materials, such as using the legs from a broken glass table and creating a new table top for it. I also source leather from a local business, repurposing what could be scraps to create handles on the charcuterie boards. The end product reflects both the beauty of the wood and a watercolor accent, elevating the beauty of a utilitarian object..
Biography
My first art was on my bedroom walls as a small child. When I couldn’t sleep, I would draw my peoples all around the nightlight. I pursued art my entire life and obtained a BFA in Painting and an MA in Art from West Virginia University.
After receiving my bachelors degree, I studied drawing and Italian in Lucca Italy. I also studied Ceramics as a non-degree graduate student at the University of California, Irvine.
As a career, I taught art education to grades K-12.
While I am predominantly a painter and mixed media artist, I have most recently transferred my love of painting over to wood. Combining the beauty of woodgrain with colorful stains, I started creating “cosmic timber”. This has been a recent focus for me in the last four years. I also create charcuterie boards using beautiful locally timbered walnut.
The connection between my painting, and my woodworking can be seen in the color and also in the quality of letting the paint or stain do what it wants to do, with some gentle guidance.
Having studied under Tom Nakashima, my work develops through free expression, typically working from a loose sketch, building the scenario as I paint.
Two of my biggest influences are landscapes, especially mountains apes of Appalachia, and also children’s art. Growing up as a somewhat troubled team, I was always enrolled in private art classes. Much of my experience during that time was working with classic subject matter, such as still life, portrait, and landscapes. The love of a mountain scene has always stayed with me.
I found in my years of teaching. I was so inspired by the immediacy of a child’s drawing as well as heartfelt meanings behind the art. Building on that, I explored imagery from my early childhood, bringing that into what is often a landscape format, often creating what might be categorized as childhood surrealism. I also pull inspiration from my late team years, when I found so much angst inside of myself, but painted scenarios expressing joy, peace., and a simple innocence.
This is where I have landed with my painting. My most recent exhibit “Once Upon A Time” Is the story of childhood and innocence, and how no matter where we are in life, that same child lives inside of us. Tapping into a simpler time offers a perfect escape from a turbulent world.
I have received the honor of West Virginia Art Educator of the Year from WVAEA, several times As well as the Arch Coal Award for teaching. I am a national board certified teacher, and upon receiving that accolade I was invited as one of 50 teachers in the country too come to the White House to discuss and work on goals for education on a national level.
I am now retired from teaching, and after a brief stint working as an adjunct in the art department at WVU, I am able to focus full-time on my art.
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Other Creative Skills
Wood
