Meet the Artist
Who is Sheryne Tavender?
Just the Facts
About the Artist
Behind the Art
Learn techniques Sheryne uses and what inspires her.
Mental Health
Learn about Sheryne's experience with mental health, and the healing effects of art in her life.
Art has no limits so why should we limit ourselves to one style or art form?
Just the Facts
Sheryne Tavender is an Artist. She was born is Brampton, Ontario and grew up in Georgetown, Ontario. She showed the creative gene from an young age. Her mother tells stories of her creating furniture shops on the table out of her snacks, and creating houses out of cereal and shoe boxes for her Barbies.
In grade one her teacher called her parents into school for a meeting. The teacher noticed that Sheryne was spending a lot of time at the art table and displayed higher level thinking in her art projects. Sheryne' s teacher told her parents to get this child into after school art classes.
Grade one Sheryne started classes at Which Craft Studios, now known as Kid's Art Studio Experience (K.A.S.E). There she studied under Janet Grey from grade one to grade twelve. Janet hired Sheryne in grade seven as a teacher's assistant to help some of the younger kids learn art basics. K.A.S.E exposed Sheryne to all forms of art: painting, drawing, clay, wood burning, etc. It is during this time that Sheryne also studied under other local artist such as William Band, and Rob Hurst.
By the end of high school she knew that Art would always be the center of her life. She attended Nova Scotia Collage of Art and Design (N.S.C.A.D.) and graduated with a Major in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts, and Minor in Illustration.
Behind the Art
Sheryne is an Interdisciplinary Artist, with is a fancy way of saying she likes all mediums. She is trained in painting, drawing and illustration, and print making (textiles). She has also has skills in graphic design, basic woodworking, wood burning, and basic clay and sculpture techniques. Through her exploration of art she has also been able to experience metal working and welding, book arts, and the printing press.
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At her heart Sheryne is a painter she uses all these other skills to inform and improve her painting practice. Exploration is key to her work. She will use wood, stone, or stretched fabric to paint on instead of traditional canvas. Sheryne is also known to use plaster and sculpture aspects to her work to create texture or a sense of depth. These explorations are fun and create unique artworks, Sheryne also feels that traditional more realistic paintings are important in her practice as well. The realistic paintings and drawings challenge the eye to look more carefully at colour, form, and relationships between objects. All of these things are important in all styles and mediums.
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Sheryne is inspired by nature and promoting mental health. As someone who lives will anxiety and depression Sheryne has found comfort in art and nature. She uses art to understand herself and nature is where she is most at peace. Discovering the imperfections in nature and depicting them as beautiful helps her understand her insecurities and brings peace. She hopes her art can bring joy to someone else the same way it does to her.
Nature is Perfect in it's Imperfections.
So are we.
Mental Health
Everyone should have art in their tool box of coping methods. The feel of the materials and the focus it takes to create the mark you wish to see is very grounding. Grounding is a strategy used in dealing with dealing in anxiety and especially PTSD. It is meant to "ground" you or connect you to the present. Art is a practice with natural grounding effect as it allows you to focus on the task at hand and not everything else around you.
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Sheryne lives with Anxiety and Depression. She was diagnosed in grade 10. Art has helped her manage her symptoms and live a full life. Anxiety and Depression are a part of her life, but they do not control it. Art plays a huge role in that and Sheryne wishes to share the healing effects of art with everyone she meets.