About
Short Bio
Sheryl French is a contemporary artist with degrees in art and interior design. A former gallery director, she now exhibits monthly, enjoys special projects and supports arts education.
Statement
My artwork explores states of being and thought. The type of intangible concepts that resist easy definition. My contemporary abstract work invites viewers into ambiguity, where meaning unfolds through reflection and connection.
Each piece begins with an idea—an emotion, a memory, or a question I want to explore. I sketch, experiment with color and materials, and refine my techniques. I write out my intentions, exploring the emotions, memories, or thoughts I wish to convey. Depending on the concept, the final composition often emerges through an assembly of carefully considered acrylic, watercolor, paper and mixed media elements.
I continuously build upon several themed series, diving deeper into their meaning while also allowing new ideas to emerge—whether inspired by personal growth or external influences. I also enjoy the challenge of themed exhibitions and competitions, where creative constraints push my work in unexpected directions.
Biography
Sacramento native Sheryl French was born into a world of color and creativity. Her earliest memories are the smell of her mother’s oil paints and arranging tubes into a color wheel. Sheryl’s passion for art grew through childhood, fueled by art classes, summer programs, and after-school training. Influenced by the ‘60s and ‘70s pop culture, print advertising, and album covers, she found early mentorship under artist Don Griffiths
While earning her art degree at American River College, Sheryl embraced creativity in all its forms—working as a professional makeup artist, fashion consultant, and visual merchandiser. The dynamic aesthetics of ‘80s fashion and music further shaped her artistic voice, and passion for expressive, contemporary art while studying with watercolorist Gary Pruner.
A decade and two degrees in Interior Design later, her work took on new depth, weaving together historical influences, architectural precision, and furniture and textile design. Experimentation with multimedia elements pushed her art beyond the canvas into three-dimensional expression.
As Artistic Director of Michael D. Palmer Fine Art Studio in Sacramento, Sheryl managed a retail gallery and manufacturing space, served as an artist agent and project manager, and contributed her own artwork. Over 15 years, Sheryl’s collaboration with Michael Palmer sharpened her artistic identity and broadened her stylistic range.
Now in her second act as an independent artist, she exhibits in multiple shows each month, and actively contributing to the art community and advocating for arts education— recognizing its vital role in her own early development. Her work, now enriched by decades of experience, reflects confidence, depth, and intentionality. “I’m drawn to contemporary and abstract art because it disrupts the way we see,” Sheryl explains. “It creates paradoxes and visual conflicts that don’t exist in nature.” She goes on to note “it is art that you can contemplate.”
Affiliations
Artistic Edge Gallery, Sacramento CA
Blue Line Arts, Roseville CA
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento CA
Folsom Arts Association, Folsom CA
PBS/KVIE Sacramento, CA
Mills Station Arts & Cultural Center (MACC), Rancho Cordova CA
Northern California Arts, Carmichael, CA
Placerville Arts Association, Placerville CA
Rancho Cordova Arts, Rancho Cordova, CA
Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA
Allied Ceramic Arts Institute (ACAI), Fair Oaks CA
RI-Nu Studios, Rancho Cordova CA
Gallery 10, Sutter Creek CA
