S. A. VanVleck - author of the Moon Tree series and Artist

Artist's Resume

Education:

1976 and 1977 - University of Illinois, Chicago Circle Campus
Sheryl was in the pre-law program and became an Edmund J. James Scholar and a member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. A divorce forced her to drop out of school and find full time work.

1981-1983 - The Govert Academy in Indiana
Sheryl credits her education and style of portrait painting to the Govert Academy in Indiana where she studied for several years with her good friend, Gerrie Govert.

1990-1993 - B.F.A. the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Sheryl was one of four first year students, in the Spring of 1991, to have two works chosen for the "First Year Students Exhibition." The first work was a pastel painting entitled "Her World".

The second work was an installation mock-up that placed the viewer in the place of an innocent person in the electric chair and provided information on the number of people who have been proven innocent after their execution. It detailed their names, their alleged crimes and the date of their execution.

It was at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago that her work developed under the direction of such teachers as: Sheridan Gustin (Figure Drawing), Rob McClurg and Catherine Ross (throwing and mold making), Ken Josephson (Photography), Judith Geichman (2-D), Linn Hixson (4-D), and Monica Bock (art history). It was also where her love of pottery developed.

But, it wasn't until her move to Wyoming in 1993, that Sheryl met her mentor and friend, Lynn Munns. As head of the pottery department of Casper College, Lynn Munns helped Sheryl find her way in clay. Under his direction, she felt free to create the whimsical creatures she has become known for.

Practice in Art Education:

1999-2003 - KEY at Casper College (Knowledge Through Excellence for Youth: Sheryl taught pottery, painting and photography to middle school students for three weeks each summer.

2003 - Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, Wyoming: Sheryl taught art classes in the museum's summer program and was an "Artist in Residence" the summer of 2003.

2001 - CACHE (Casper Area Christian Home Educators): Sheryl taught the art curriculum, for Home Schoolers, in three grade levels: Elementary, Middle school and High school.

2000-2001 - Adjunct at Casper College, Casper, Wyoming: Sheryl taught General Studio Art. This class was created as an overview of art and art history for non-art majors and covered art history, drawing, use of color, print making, clay work, taking two dimensional work to the third dimension and modern art.

1998-2001 - Casper Recreation Center, Casper, Wyoming: Sheryl taught adult pottery and children's art classes.

1990-1993 - Sheryl exhibited and demonstrated at Revolutionary War re-enactments.

1988 and 1989 - Sheryl taught painting at the Towne Square Retirement Center in Merrillville, IN: conducted a life drawing workshop for Olney Community College in Olney, Illinois and taped a two segment show on pastel painting portraiture for Metrovision Cable in Indiana.

1985-1990 - Sheryl gave educational demonstrations in drawing, pastel and oil painting for mid-west area art clubs; including the Midwest Pastel Society and LaCarre Art League.

Background:

In 1984, Sheryl VanVleck began her professional career as a portrait artist. By 1990, she had been profiled in Art of the West and in Southwest Art magazines as well as in numerous Midwestern newspapers. Sheryl was a winner in The Artists Magazine portrait competition.

Major Exhibitions:

From her first local exhibitions in 1972, Sheryl's painting career has grown to include shows such as the Pastel Society of America, Cassatt Pastel Society (where she eventually served as Vice President), Midwest Pastel Society, Masters of the American West, Los Angeles, California and the Société des Pastellists du France Salon International Du Pastel Exhibition in Compiègne and Paris, France. Her interest in Western and wildlife art has led her to be invited to join the Cheyenne Governor's Invitational in Cheyenne and Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum's Western Regional Shows in Wyoming; among others. Her work has been placed in the Sane Senter in Ulset, Norway; and she has shown in the Springville Art Museum in Utah and (both painting and pottery) in the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming.

LINKS TO SHERYL'S ARTWORK