Sherrie McGraw is in the midst of preparing for what she says will be the highlight of her career. The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, will host a solo show for the talented artist September 14, 2014. The event will showcase 50 to 60 of McGraw’s paintings and drawings—including approximately 35 new pieces—and by April of this year, she already was hard at work creating new pieces for the show. Two days after our visit, McGraw was heading out to teach a workshop, then was to teach a portrait drawing class and judge the portrait competition for the Oil Painters of America, before heading to Baltimore, Maryland, to conduct yet another workshop. McGraw is one busy lady, as she creates paintings that are a wonderful combination of color and light, magnificent compositions that have earned her the admiration of collectors and peers alike. And she continues to teach, an endeavor that is close to her heart, while also participating in several shows each year, including the Prix de West. It goes without saying that she is constantly on the move.

Sherrie McGraw (New Mexico)

Melange In Orange
Oil
9″ By 18″
“This is one of my favorite pots for its subtlety of color and its unusual shape. In this composition, I contrasted the slight reddish-orange in the design with the Chinese lanterns and clementine slices in a horizontal pattern of light.”

Sherrie McGraw (New Mexico)

Dynasty
Oil
30″ By 26″
“I have an affinity for certain still life objects, and this painting incorporates two of them—the Tang horse and the ancient Mayan bowl in the background. The variation in orange is what drew me visually, but it is the bold design that gives the painting its strength.”