Matusiak says that making art has saved her throughout her life; making art is how she copes with the anguish and difficulties while learning about the lessons they have to offer; it’s also the way she celebrates the wonder of life and the many blessings it has to offer.
With wisdom of age in hand, and her strong background in drawing and painting, she has returned to making 2-D art, with a series of works concerning the environment and social issues. Since the late 70’s she’s been an advocate of the Gaia Theory, a scientific theory that the Earth is one living organism. As such all life is interdependent and she believes that understanding that concept and acting upon it in a responsible way is crucial to the survival of our species and all others. The Dreamscapes paintings celebrate life on Earth and include elements of symbolism, the subconscious and magic realism.
Her art, mixed media sculpture, paintings and drawings are included in over 25 corporate collections including Del Mar College’s Permanent Drawing Collection.
BFA Painting & Drawing
Millikin University, Decatur, IL 1988
U of I Champaign, IL. 1968-1970, pre-veterinary medicine
Grants & Awards:
2025 IL Arts Council Grant
2023 IL Arts Council Grant
1991 IL Arts Council Grant
1988 Painting Award Fifteenth Biennial Michiana Show, South Bend Museum of Art IN
1988 Del Mar College Permanent Collection Purchase Award Corpus Christi, TX
1988 Kenneth and Dorothy Holmes Purchase Award Del Mar College Corpus Christi, TX
JURIED EXHIBITIONS OF PAINTINGS & DRAWINGS
“The Wheel of Time” was invited to the Exhibizone online Magix: 2025 Exhibit , see the exhibit here: https://www.exhibizone.com/p/magix2025.html also featured on Artsy.
“Climate Change 101” was invited to the 5th Annual Juried Extinction: Save the Planet – 2025 exhibit, featured on Artsy
My paintings “The Conversation” & “Fleeing Chaos” were accepted into “Narrative Art” at 304 ArtSpace, Carbondale, IL.
“Birth Of the Cosmos” featured in the Nov. 2023 issue of Beyond Words Literary Magazine
“Into the Deep” accepted into online exhibition “True Blue” on Art-Fluent. The review stated: “Into the Deep is such a standout, we absolutely love it!”
“Conflict” accepted into “All the Feels” exhibit, Art St. Louis 2022
“Cyclic,” a charcoal drawing published in Feb. 2022 issue of Beyond Words Literary Magazine
“Spirit of the Woods” accepted into “Dreamlife” exhibit, sponsored by Art St. Louis 2021
“True Blue” online juried exhibit, Art Fluent 2021
“Maturity and Its Muse: Celebrating Artistic Experience 2021,” Art St. Louis 2021
Central South Art Exhibition, Nashville, TN, 1994.Art Experience, Gallery 100, Cape Girardeau, MO, 1992
Fifteenth Biennial Michiana Show, South Bend, IN, 1988
Painting Award.22nd Annual Drawing & Sculpture Show, Del Mar College, TX, 1988,
Del Mar College Permanent Collection Purchase Award
Kenneth and Dorothy Holmes Purchase Award
Illinois State Fair Professional Exhibition, 1987-1988
The Artist’s Magazine Floral Competition – Semi-Finalist, 1986
INVITATIONAL (Partial List)
Inspired by Architecture Group Show, Rendlake Marketplace, Whittington, IL, 2013
Ancient Echoes, 2 Person Show, The Gallery Space, Murphysboro, IL 2007
Center of Contemporary Art, “Clockworks”, St. Louis, MO, 1999
del Mano Gallery, “It’s About Time”, Pasadena, CA, 1997
L. Freud Gallery, “Time is Relative”, Birmingham, AL, 1997
Showcase Artist, Illinois Artisans Shop, Chicago, IL, March 1999
“One of A Kind”, Artworks Gallery, Peoria, IL, 1994
“Double Vision”, Two Woman Show, Gallery 510, Decatur, IL, 1993
Solo Show, “The Women in My Life”, John A. Logan College, Carterville, IL, 1991
Solo Show, “Recent Work”, Rend Lake College Learning Resource Center, 1992
“Furniture As an Art Form”, Associated Artists Gallery, Carbondale, IL, 1991
Fine Arts Competitive Exhibit (F.A.C.E.), Carbondale, IL, 1990
“Unspoken Voices”, 3-woman show, 300 Gallery, Bloomington, IL, 1989
Gallery Group Show, 300 Gallery, Bloomington, IL, 1988
Marymount College, Salinas, Kansas, Group Invitational, 1988
Arc Gallery Group Show, “15 Years-15 Walls”, Chicago, IL, 1988
Presentation “Art and Religion”, Theosocratic Society, Millikin University, Decatur, IL, 1988
Presentation “Mythology and Art”, Unitarian Church, Decatur, IL, 1988.
PUBLICATIONS
The Art Muse Express February 2025 review of “The Conversation” by Ann Williams
The Art World Post January 27th, 2025 review by Ann Williams of “Fleeing Chaos”Beyond Words Literary Magazine Nov. 2023 “Birth of the Cosmos”Beyond Words Literary Magazine Feb. 2022 “Cyclic” a charcoal drawing
Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Oct 2021, published image of Breath of Life
Art & Beyond, Summer 2014.Gulf Coast South News, FL, Jan 9, 2008
The Southern Illinoisan, Dec 18, 2001.Heartland News, Carbondale, IL, Oct 2007
The News-Press, Naples, FL, Jan 12, 2007.Belleville News Democrat, May 15, 2004
Nashville Banner, June 10, 1997
Tampa Bay Times, Dec 6, 1997.The World of Wood, “In Honor of the Tree”, Aug 1995
The Living Museum, IL State Museum, Vol 57, #3, Fall 1995
Chicago Tribune, Sunday, Apr 2, 1995
The Milwaukee Journal, Sunday, Aug 27, 1989
New Art Examiner, Oct 1988.
MEDIA: 2012 Television Interview conducted by Art Professor Najjar Abdul-Musawwir of SIU Carbondale, IL WSIU https://video.wttw.com/video/wsiu-expressions-sharon-matusiak/
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
PERIODONTICS, LTD, Sunset Hills, MO.
JOHN DEERE COLLECTION, Madison, WI.
THE BOEING COMPANY, St. Louis, MO (4 pieces).
GENERAL ELECTRIC – SCHLEIFRING, Elgin, IL.
STRYKER, Kalamazoo, MI Corporate Headquarters.
BERKOWITZ LEFKOVITS ISOM & KUSHNER, Birmingham, AL Law Firm.
CAP GEMINI ERNST & YOUNG, Clayton, MO (2 pieces).
GENERAL TIRE Corporation, Mt Vernon, IL Technology Center.
SIGNET, Memphis, TN Corporate Headquarters.
HEWITT, Chicago, IL Corporate Headquarters
METRIS COMPANIES, Minn., MN Corporate Headquarters.
DEL MAR COLLEGE, Corpus Christi, TX Permanent Collection.
EISCHEN FINANCIAL GROUP, Columbus, OH.
KENT KEHR & ASSOCIATES St. Louis, MO
MOONFISH Orlando, FL
NEIL LOCKE & ASSOCIATES Itasca, IL Hotel Procurement
BARCELONA APARTMENTS Skokie, IL
OLD NATIONAL BANK Belleville, IL
NOVAR Akron, OH
GREENLEAF TRUST Kalamazoo, MI
JOST CHEMICAL St. Louis, MO
THOMPSON & SCHREIBER, PA Fort Meyers, FL
CITY OF BUFFALO GROVE Buffalo Grove, IL
ULRICH VETERINARY CLINIC Dongola, IL
PROPERTY MARK REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS Cinn., OH
JURIED EXHIBITIONS Of Mixed Media Sculpture (partial list)
Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL 2003-8, 2015-18
St Louis Art Fair Clayton, MO 2004, 2018
Palm Beach Contemporary West Palm Beach, FL 2017
Krasl Art Fair St. Joseph, MI 2017
Ann Arbor Original Ann Arbor, MI 2015-16
Armonk Outdoor Art Fair Armonk, NY 2015,16
Coconut Grove Art Fair Miami, FL 1999 & 2001-2011, 2014,16
Des Moines Arts Des Moines, IA 2016, 2018
Canton Museum National Art Show Canton, OH 2010-11
Naples National Naples, FL 2000-1, 2016
Palm Beach Fine Craft West Palm Beach, Fl 2013-14
Washington Fine Craft Washington, DC 2013
Westchester Fine Craft White Plains, NY2012-13
American Craft Council Baltimore, MD 1997, 2012, 2015 St. Paul, MN 1997-8-9, 2013,15 Atlanta 2017-18, Tampa, Charlotte 1997
Buffalo Grove Invitational Buffalo Grove, IL 2013 Outstanding Achievement Award and Purchase Award for City of Buffalo Grove Permanent Collection
Riverfest Art Fair Memphis, TN 2012-17 Best of Sculpture 2016
Port Clinton Art Fair Highland Park, IL 1996-2007, 2013, 2018 Merit Award Sculpture 2013,
1st Place Award 3-DNF ‘97 ‘99 Merit Award Sculpture
Bonita Springs National Art Festival Bonita Springs 2001-2008, 2010-11,
2013 Second Place in Sculpture
Art Expo Solo NYC,NY, 2011
Uptown Art Fair Minneapolis, Mn 1995-2000, 2005-7, 2018
Summerfair Cincinnati, OH 2nd Place Sculpture 2006 & 2007, Honorable Mention 2005, 1999 & 2000 ,2nd Place
Jewish Arts Fest of Dallas Tx 2011
Austin Festival of the Arts Austin TX 2002, 2015
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park, FL 2003, 2005-06
Art on the Square Belleville, IL 2003-05,07
Plaza Art Fair Kansas City, MO 1999, 2004
State Street Area Art Fair Ann Arbor, MI 2000-2004, 2012
Laumeier Contemporary Art Fair St. Louis, MO 2001-2, 2004
Cherry Creek Arts Festival Denver, CO 2001
Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA 2001
Austin Festival of the Arts Austin TX 2002, 2015
Scottsdale Museum Arts Scottsdale, AZ 2001
Naples National Art Fair Naples, Fl 2000 & 2001
Peoria Fine Art Fair Peoria, IL 2002 & 2006, 2012 2nd Place 3-D 2002
Magic City Art Fair Birmingham, AL 2001 Award of Merit & Collectors Purchase Award
Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival TX 2001
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Tampa, FL 1999 & 2000
CWE Art Fair St Louis, MO Award Winner 1998
New Eastside Art Works Chicago, IL 1997
Affaire in the Gardens Beverly Hills, CA Spring & Fall 1995 2nd Place Award
Lakefront Festival of the Arts Milaukee Art Museum, WI 1995