POWER & RESILIENCE COLLECTION
There are moments when the ground shifts — in landscape, in a life — and what comes after is never quite the shape it was before.
Power & Resilience is a body of work made in response to that experience. Built through erosion and reconstruction, each painting is a layered surface of oil, cold wax, and oxidized metal leaf — materials that carry damage visibly, that scar and rebalance, that hold light differently after being altered.
The work is rooted in geological movement: tectonic pressure, fault lines, the force of water against stone. But the terrain is also interior — the difficult seasons we move through, the fractures that turn out to be the places where something new takes form.
Some pieces are purely abstract. Others hold a quiet human presence — a figure rising, sheltering, standing still inside the motion. All of them are interested in the same moment: where disruption becomes the condition for transformation.
Power & Resilience is currently available for gallery and exhibition consideration. Studio visits, curatorial inquiries, and collector conversations welcome.
Available for exhibition, gallery representation, and private acquisition. Studio visits welcome. sharon@sharonelwell.art
Rift
Rift was inspired by the earth’s shifting forces and the emotional pull-apart moments we move through in life. Learning about tectonic plates helped me see how pressure can create strength and new form. This piece reflects that inner resilience and the growth that comes from change even when it feels intense.
Turbulent Gold
Turbulent Gold was inspired by the powerful rhythm of ocean waves and the feeling of standing close to something wild and alive. Waves shift constantly with tides and weather. This piece reflects both beauty and strength — a reminder of how dynamic and precious coastlines are.
Still Here
Still Here reflects the quiet rhythm beneath the surface — where breath slows and presence deepens. It speaks to a steady resilience that remains, even as everything shifts.
Surge High
Surge High was inspired by the rising energy of ocean swells and the strength I feel in continual motion. I wanted to capture a form in ascent, evoking both a powerful wave and a figure rising through resistance. This piece reflects resilience as an active force — rising through fire, bending without breaking, and continuing upward through change.
Invisible Lines
Invisible Lines came from thinking about borders both external and internal. Some are written on maps and others live quietly within us. This piece reflects the tension between what holds us back and what we are ready to move through — a reminder of courage and identity.
Fault Line
Fault Line explores fracture as a site of both tension and possibility. Through layered abstraction and divided forms, the work reflects geological and emotional breaks — moments where pressure reshapes what comes next, revealing strength through separation and reconfiguration.
Protection
Protection honors the steady strength of a mother watching over a child, especially in uncertain seasons. I was thinking about how instinctively we care for those we love and how that care becomes an anchor. This piece reflects that unwavering presence and sense of safety.
Blue Divide
Blue Divide examines separation within a shared space, using layered blues and contrasting movement to suggest physical and emotional boundaries. The work reflects the push and pull of opposing forces, where division becomes a place of reflection, balance, and potential connection.
Shifting Tides
Shifting Tides explores the movement of water from above and within. Tides respond to moon cycles, seasons, and weather — a rhythm we’re all connected to. This diptych reflects fluid change and the balancing act found within it.
Bearing Witness
Bearing Witness grew from thinking about how our histories shape us and how pain in one place can ripple outward. This piece acknowledges the strength it takes to see truth, recognize shared humanity, and show up with compassion. Burnt and altered metal leaf acts as an alchemical element within the work — scarred, transformed, and rebalanced — mirroring how we carry damage, resilience, and light through periods of emotional, environmental, and political uncertainty.
For curators and institutions seeking deeper context, a full Power & Resilience Collection Catalog is available below.