Cheryl
(Baughn) King, a fourth generation Puget Sounder, was born with a passion
for art and throughout her childhood pursued a myriad of creative goals,
always knowing that art was her future. Forced to put her dreams on hold
as a young adult, in 1989 Cheryl was introduced to oils and was immediately
hooked. Today she paints exclusively in this medium. Later she spent several
years studying under Julann Campbell, a protégé of Sergei Bongart, learning
the nuances of Russian Impressionism. These roots Cheryl shows today,
painting with vibrant color and bold brushwork.
Over
subsequent years Cheryl has taken the occasional workshop from nationally
and internationally known artists, but the most profound experience was
having the opportunity to take a 4 week study trip to St. Petersburg Russia
in the summer of 2006. Studying at the Repin Academy of Fine Art, she
received the tutelage of 3 different instructors in both drawing and
painting, enjoying studio model work and plein air excursions to historic
city locales.
Like most
artists, the drama of sunlight and shadow excite her, giving her great
motivation to create the immediacy of the moment. She enjoys painting a
variety of subjects although “paintings with a heartbeat” are dearest to
her; those with either animals or people in their compositions and she has
won awards at the local, national and international level. In 2007 she
devoted herself to painting the human figure, completing nearly 40 nude
paintings glorifying the female figure and auctioning them to benefit breast
cancer research. Cheryl also spends much of her easel time painting
commissioned portraits of beloved pets and for the past decade has been
greatly sought after for her sensitive and insightful portraits. She feels
the greatest compliment she can receive is given in the form of tears
welling in the recipient’s eyes.
As a
working artist, Cheryl paints full time, devoting a large part of each week
either in her studio, outdoors or painting with a core group of fellow
artists that have supported each other for the past several years. She is a
dynamic and fun loving ‘people’ person and she strives to have these
qualities show in the paintings she creates. Oil painting is a passion,
obsession and addiction that she has no intention of getting therapy for!
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