Wednesday, June 19, 2019


Sharon Visker Treasure Hunting

When Keepsake Artist Sharon Visker is brainstorming ideas for a new ornament, she’s inspired by a combination of factors. “I first research old sketches and look at images online and in books,” she said, “but my favorite is to get out and about to explore. I love scrounging around antique malls, flea markets and just wandering around stores to look at stuff. I never know what I might see that might spark an idea or get me thinking.” (see treasure hunting image)

Once that first spark of inspiration ignites, Sharon likes to keep the fire going with some of her favorite things. “I have a certain sketchpad I use and music I listen to which varies by my mood,” she said. “But I mainly use tracing paper pads so I can rip things out if I don’t like them or draw over to refine my first sketches. I don’t get very detailed when I’m just sketching. I like to add more detail during the sculpting stage. Once I get going, I really need quiet time to come up with my best ideas so I can really concentrate. I believe the best ornaments always start with a strong concept and if you have that, the sketching, sculpting and painting just complete the process. If I’m excited about a concept, I think it shows in the final product.”


Blue Christmas Sketches by Sharon Visker

Sometimes, those initial rough sketches can morph quite a bit as they become an actual ornament. One great example is Sharon’s 2019 magic ornament featuring Elvis’s song, “Blue Christmas.” “My first sketches looked a lot like Elvis,” she said, “but legally, I wasn’t allowed to do that so the end product is very different.” (see blue Christmas sketches)

Keepsake Artists typically sketch quite a few ideas before landing on one that will make the best ornament. Sharon is no different, and graciously shared some rough sketches of ideas that haven’t made the cut, and maybe even a sneak peek at one or two that will become future ornaments! (see ornament concept sketches)

In her spare time, Sharon gets inspiration by doing other forms of art for herself and for others. “I work on carvings and more crafty stuff on my own time,” she said. “I almost always have several projects going on at the same time. Recently, I painted a violin for a charity auction called Band of Angels, and also carved a cane for my dad.” (see violin and dad with cane images)