I’m an artist from Annapolis, Maryland. I have had a lifelong love affair with color, form, and movement. When I sail with my family or when I see my dogs I take elements from these moments and always utilize them somehow in my works. There is an emotional connection to my works and I usually translate it in terms of color. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico of French mother/American father, I was raised bilingual and constantly traveled to France, besides living in Portugal and Brazil.

 I studied at the Corcoran School of Art in the 1970's with artist Gene Davis. I received a BA degree from American University, Washington, D.C. and awarded a full graduate fellowship for my MA also from AU. Teachers that have influenced my style or impacted me to this day are; painters Ben Summerford, Luciano Penay, Robert D’Arista, and Alan Feltus; dancers Naima Prevots, Ethel Butler, Twyla Tharp, Robert Joffrey, and Pamela Moore and set designer Boris Baranovic.

 Painting has always been a passion even when committed to other projects such as; internship with the Theatre Development Fund, New York City; Doctoral program in Theatre at Texas Tech University (Full Fellowship), staff member on Art Department at Vassar College, and like all renaissance artists the pursuit of landscape architecture and past involvement with the dance.

 Recent work reflects my interest in nature, animals, and culture diversity. Traveling frequently to exotic locales provides an enormous amount of inspiration. Recent 2004 trips to Iceland, Norway, and Hawaii are current subject matter in paintings worked on with mystical and iconographic links. A trip to England that included the opening of the Chelsea Flower Show 2003 and the incredible vistas of Bath provided material for various botanical paintings.

 In painting my works are a diary of past, present and future expressions of myself. As an Expressionist hopefully I convey some emotion to the viewer. It is a constant mission searching how to accomplish this task. Recently exhibited works were at Gallery 44, Ellicott City, Maryland 2003-2004, Anne Arundel Community College’s Heliotrope Bouquet 2003, solo exhibit of thirty-five paintings at Hoffberger Gallery, Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, Baltimore held December 2003 to January 2004; member-juried summer exhibition Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Md., MAPAPA All Member Exhibition at City Hall, Annapolis, 2004. 2006 portrait workshop with Cedric Egeli. Workshops with John Ebersberger and Abigail McBride.

2006 Annapolis City Hall MAPAPA Exhibit

Montpelier Arts Center, 2007 38th Annual Juried Exhibition. Laurel, Maryland

Artist Statement: When I paint I can't just paint flat planes of color. There are rhythms and movements everywhere. The painting almost dances with life in front of my eyes. There is no stagnation. Even in the dead of night there is movement. A slight dance to the moment. I can't separate music, the dance or the art. The blending becomes appropriate.

Was represented at Pine Away, 216 Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland (2005-2007)

Studio visits by appointment only.

 Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, Maryland Federation of Art, Washington Project for the Arts/Corcoran.

 www.sheilahaaland.com / Sheila@sheilahaaland.com

 To commission a painting contact artist through e-mail info.