SHARON ENNIS
BIOGRAPHY
I was born in Minot, North Dakota in 1979. In 1987 my family moved from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in the south part of the state to Bismarck, ND. I lived and worked in Bismarck and Grand Forks, North Dakota until 2003.
I graduated in 2002 with a BFA in painting from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. I completed a thesis based on the idea of abstract portraiture. I continue to emphasize abstract imagery and enjoy exploring the residual effect humans have on the world.
Since moving from North Dakota to Alaska in 2003, I have worked at the University of Alaska Anchorage as well as the Anchorage Museum as various types of assistant.
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LAKOTA SIOUX HERITAGE
I had a great mentor growing up. My mother, D. Joyce Kitson, is a traditional Sioux artist. She lives and works in North Dakota as both a self-employed artist and a teacher. I grew up learning her work ethic and also learned from her skills as a master traditional artist.
I helped her to tan hides (deer, buffalo, elk) with boiled pig brains, huge wood frames and garbage cans for smoking. I helped her do quill work and several large scale beading projects. I also learned how to do a minimal amount of quill work, including the whole process of harvesting the quills from roadkilled porcupines. She also did parfleche paintings, and taught me the process of painting with natural minerals mixed with prickly pear cactus.
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LINKS
The Existential Safety Commission allows free downloads of their experimental music. Find their cool videos online too.
Recent Press article on the exhibit Containers of Casualty.
A great video featuring Kimchee.
My favorite museum in North Dakota.
Find me on Facebook by searching for "GalleryEnnis.com"
Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage blog.