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Arts & Entertainment

The Inviting Breath of Shari Byrnes

Fairfax "painter" uses texture and color to bring in her audience.

Venturing downstairs at Art Works Downtown in San Rafael, during one of the town's Second Friday Art Walks, I visited the the warm and pleasant painting studio of Fairfax resident Shari Byrnes.

I was surprised by how inviting Byrnes' studios were, despite the fact they had no windows to the outside world. Covered in brick, the studio was filled with her drawings of leaves, branches and shapes from nature. Her influences of Gerhard Richter, Henri Matisse and Agon Schiele are obvious with her clever use of reds, maroons, forest greens and beiges.

Byrnes uses oil sticks on paper that technically make her works “drawings” instead of “paintings.” With concise strokes honed at Dominican University under the mentoring of her well-loved painting teacher, Foad Satterfield, she displays a talented use of pattern and color.

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With a balanced rhythm in the symmetrical pieces, the leaves dance in and out of one another with twisting branches anchoring her simple images. They are placed on the page with careful consideration to color, tone and texture. Never do the same textures touch.

Byrnes describes her work as “being a breathing exercise.” After viewing her wonderful pieces, I found myself breathing with more ease, a bit deeper and with a smile. Her art became part of me and stays with me still.

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