Kelley Sharp Biography

Kelley Sharp was born in Austin, TX, and grew up in Jackson, MS. Always interested in art, Sharp pursued a Bachelor Degree in Studio Art at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. After graduation in May 1997, Sharp worked in graphic design and fundraising for five years before returning to school in Oxford, MS. In May 2005, she graduated from The University of Mississippi with a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting. Currently, she and her husband Will reside in Wilmington, DE, where she works as an artist and portrait painter.

Education
2005 M.F.A. Painting The University of Mississippi
1997 B.A. Studio Art Rhodes College cum laude

Professional Experience
2005-present Artist and Portrait Painter, Wilmington, DE
2002-2005 Gallery Associate and Graphic Designer, Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS
2005 Spring Instructor of Record, 2-D Design, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
2004 Fall Instructor of Record, Drawing I, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
2004 Summer Painting Instructor, University Museums Summer Art Camp, Oxford, MS
2002-2003 Gallery Assistant, Bryant Hall Gallery, University of Mississippi, Oxford , MS
2000-2002 Graphic Designer, Publications Department, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 1999-2000 Program Coordinator, NCCJ, Memphis, TN
1997-1999 Profile Designer, Towery Publishing, Memphis, TN

Exhibition Record (* solo shows marked by asterisk)
2005
Holiday Show, Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS

Summer Group Show , Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS

* The Body Unbound , M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS

Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition , Jackson State University Gallery, Jackson, MS
Juror: Kelli Scott Kelley, Professor of Art, Louisiana State University,
Baton Rouge, LA

2004
As I Am , Jaffe Arts Center, Norfolk, VA
Juror: Magdalen Hsu Li, musician and painter

Student Art Association 50 th Anniversary Juried Show , Gallery 130, The University of Mississippi, University, MS
Juror: Greely Myatt, Professor of Sculpture, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (Juror’s Award)

From the Git-Go, Gallery 130, The University of Mississippi, University, MS

Regional Artists Exhibition , Tupelo City Hall, Tupelo, MS

Ceramics Exhibition, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS

Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition , Meridian Museum of Art, Meridian, MS
Juror: Glen F. Kaufman, Professor of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

New Horizons, Jackson Cultural Arts Center, Jackson, TN

Holiday Show , Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS

2003
MAX:03, Art Museum at The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (catalogue)
Juror: Beth Venn, independent curator and art historian, formerly Curator of Collections,
The Whitney Museum of Art, New York, NY

Art with a Southern Drawl , University of Mobile, Mobile, AL (catalogue)
Juror: Joseph Mella, curator, Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery, Nashville, TN

Group Exhibition, Summit Gallery, Fairhope, AL

Holiday Show , Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS

Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition , Meridian Museum of Art, Meridian, MS

2002
Alumni Art Exhibit, McRae Fine Arts Center, Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson , MS

M.F.A. Summer Work Show , Bryant Hall Gallery, The University of Mississippi,
University, MS

2001
* Kelley Pratt Sharp, McRae Fine Arts Center, Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson , MS

1999
Bare Necessity: Studies of the Human Body, Marshall Arts, Memphis, TN

Senior Thesis Exhibition , Clough-Hanson Gallery, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN

Lectures and Published Writings
“The Body Unbound,” Lecture, Fifth Annual Isom Student Gender Studies Conference, Sarah Isom Center for Women, The University of Mississippi, 2005.

“Phenomenological Space in the Work of Berthe Morisot,” Lecture, Third Annual Isom Student Gender Studies Conference, Sarah Isom Center for Women, The University of Mississippi, 2003.

“Nancy Graves,” NUMBER:35, Vol. XII, no. 2, 1998, 18.

“ Mississippi Invitational,” NUMBER:32, Vol. XI, no. 2, 1997, 28.

Awards, Honors, and Nominations
2004
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Nomination, Dedalus Foundation M.F.A. Scholarship

2002
Commission, School of Business, The University of Mississippi
Honors Fellowship, The University of Mississippi
College Public Relations Association of Mississippi Award

1997
Barberini Faun Art Award, Rhodes College
University Scholarship, Rhodes College

Memberships and Professional Affiliations
The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts
College Art Association

Professional Service
Volunteer, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE
Provisional Member, Junior League of Wilmington






	Kelley Sharp was born in Austin, TX, and grew up in Jackson, MS. Always interested in art, Sharp pursued a Bachelor Degree in Studio Art at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. After graduation in May 1997, Sharp worked in graphic design and fundraising for five years before returning to school in Oxford, MS. In May 2005, she graduated from The University of Mississippi with a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting. Currently, she and her husband Will reside in Wilmington, DE, where she works as an artist and portrait painter. Education 2005 M.F.A. Painting The University of Mississippi 1997 B.A. Studio Art Rhodes College cum laude Professional Experience 2005-present Artist and Portrait Painter, Wilmington, DE 2002-2005 Gallery Associate and Graphic Designer, Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS 2005 Spring Instructor of Record, 2-D Design, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 2004 Fall Instructor of Record, Drawing I, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 2004 Summer Painting Instructor, University Museums Summer Art Camp, Oxford, MS 2002-2003 Gallery Assistant, Bryant Hall Gallery, University of Mississippi, Oxford , MS 2000-2002 Graphic Designer, Publications Department, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 1999-2000 Program Coordinator, NCCJ, Memphis, TN 1997-1999 Profile Designer, Towery Publishing, Memphis, TN Exhibition Record (* solo shows marked by asterisk) 2005 Holiday Show, Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS Summer Group Show , Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS * The Body Unbound , M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition , Jackson State University Gallery, Jackson, MS Juror: Kelli Scott Kelley, Professor of Art, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 2004 As I Am , Jaffe Arts Center, Norfolk, VA Juror: Magdalen Hsu Li, musician and painter Student Art Association 50 th Anniversary Juried Show , Gallery 130, The University of Mississippi, University, MS Juror: Greely Myatt, Professor of Sculpture, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (Juror’s Award) From the Git-Go, Gallery 130, The University of Mississippi, University, MS Regional Artists Exhibition , Tupelo City Hall, Tupelo, MS Ceramics Exhibition, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition , Meridian Museum of Art, Meridian, MS Juror: Glen F. Kaufman, Professor of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, GA New Horizons, Jackson Cultural Arts Center, Jackson, TN Holiday Show , Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS 2003 MAX:03, Art Museum at The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (catalogue) Juror: Beth Venn, independent curator and art historian, formerly Curator of Collections, The Whitney Museum of Art, New York, NY Art with a Southern Drawl , University of Mobile, Mobile, AL (catalogue) Juror: Joseph Mella, curator, Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery, Nashville, TN Group Exhibition, Summit Gallery, Fairhope, AL Holiday Show , Southside Gallery, Oxford, MS Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition , Meridian Museum of Art, Meridian, MS 2002 Alumni Art Exhibit, McRae Fine Arts Center, Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson , MS M.F.A. Summer Work Show , Bryant Hall Gallery, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 2001 * Kelley Pratt Sharp, McRae Fine Arts Center, Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson , MS 1999 Bare Necessity: Studies of the Human Body, Marshall Arts, Memphis, TN Senior Thesis Exhibition , Clough-Hanson Gallery, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN Lectures and Published Writings “The Body Unbound,” Lecture, Fifth Annual Isom Student Gender Studies Conference, Sarah Isom Center for Women, The University of Mississippi, 2005. “Phenomenological Space in the Work of Berthe Morisot,” Lecture, Third Annual Isom Student Gender Studies Conference, Sarah Isom Center for Women, The University of Mississippi, 2003. “Nancy Graves,” NUMBER:35, Vol. XII, no. 2, 1998, 18. “ Mississippi Invitational,” NUMBER:32, Vol. XI, no. 2, 1997, 28. Awards, Honors, and Nominations 2004 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Nomination, Dedalus Foundation M.F.A. Scholarship 2002 Commission, School of Business, The University of Mississippi Honors Fellowship, The University of Mississippi College Public Relations Association of Mississippi Award 1997 Barberini Faun Art Award, Rhodes College University Scholarship, Rhodes College Memberships and Professional Affiliations The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts College Art Association Professional Service Volunteer, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE Provisional Member, Junior League of Wilmington
HOME . GALLERY . ARTIST'S STATEMENT . CONTACT