Las Vegas is all about taking chances and so is Sharon Gainsburg. Originally from Philadelphia, she moved from the east coast to Southern Nevada in 2006. Sharon was skeptical about whether she could make a living here, but she's done “that” and a lot more in two decades ... she's made a LIFE. Her daughter was living here and encouraged her to relocate, and that was her inspiration for moving to Las Vegas.
Sharon's courageous spirit is contagious, especially when it comes to her students. She's a stone sculptor who has been teaching classes for more than 40 years. She started with clay and graduated to stone and says stone carving is a skill anybody can master.
"My ideal student is someone willing to take chances," says Sharon. “No art background is needed. We work with the direct carving method. When you work with clay you can always put it back, but with stone you have to change the plan. Stone carving is like life, suddenly there's a detour. I've learned you have to be creative to find a better solution.”
She offers a free trial class, which means that potential students have nothing to lose. "Over the years I have found people everywhere have the same anxieties,” says Sharon. “They are afraid to look foolish. If you believe you can't do something and never try, you'll be right. Take chances, go forward; life can be short, in actuality we only have today."
Her students come from all walks of life, with the oldest being 81. Some take the stone carving classes and others take her three-month workshop called, "The Artist's Way," based on a book by Julia Cameron. This course is designed to help individuals discover and reclaim their creative selves. To participate, students read one chapter a week, journal every day, complete an artist date every week, and show up for meetings. The course covers topics such as self-criticism, perfectionism, abundance, faith, compassion, and building a sense of connection.
"Students read and underline what speaks to them,” says Sharon. “I ask them to make a commitment to do something once a week they have never done before. I give 100 different ideas."
Though her personal gallery is in Las Vegas, Sharon exhibits widely throughout the United States. Her work is found in numerous private collections, as well as corporate offices such as Nabisco, NJ Power & Light, USA Today, and more.
"My sculptures are a mirror for my internal explorations of my spiritual connections,” says Sharon. “Carving is the language I have been given with which I communicate from my heart the mystery and magic of life's journey."
Are you ready to finally Unblock Your Creativity? Explore Sharon's popular classes and workshops. Find all the most up-to-date information in the classes section at gainsburgstudio.com.