Where ART Lives Magazine Volume 4 Number 2 | Page 52

Sheri Trepinai
January 2018
What is your first memory of creating art?
My Parents, Grandparents and Aunt were artists and accomplished creative people. My life was
full of colour. We painted as a family and my Grandmother taught me to throw pottery on her
wheel in her tiny studio. My paternal Grandmother would sew and cook with me…we had so
much fun. My father was a farmer and woodworker, I got to patch wood scraps in his shop, I love
the smell of wood to this day. It never seemed “normal or boring” to me, I always felt so very
special to be in the midst of so much talent and experience.
Do you have a favorite piece that you have created? What makes it special to you?
I have held back several pieces over the years that I still enjoy. But a mixed media watercolour
collage called “Rising Up”, from a series of sunflowers, was a turning point in my art path. I
radically changed my process and focus, enrolled in an art business program at my local
college………it was a time of redesigning and being open to a whole new world of art. When I
look at that painting in my living room, I feel grateful for where I have come and excited about
the future.
Do you have a favorite artist that you admire or that inspires you?
Yes, without question, Impressionist Artist Julann Campbell. She has been inspiring me as long
as I can remember.
What do you listen to when you paint?
Classical to rock….music can set the tone and stir the pot of memories….there is always music
in the studio.
What tool in your studio could you not live without?
I mix my watercolours in ceramic dishes that I purchase from Cheap Joe’s. I love having a deep
dish to fill my brush and they stack!
Do you have a favorite subject matter?
I have been painting with leaves for over 20 years now. I use them to make initial marks onto my
paper or canvas. Although my process has evolved, the subject of leaves is still enticing to me.
What is your preferred medium?
Watercolour and rice paper collage.
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