Sharon Sprung was a rising star when I first saw her work. She was one of a few extraordinary students in a class at the National Academy of Design that my husband, Daniel Greene, taught in the 1970s. Her talent was immediately evident. For more than 40 years now, Sharon has been represented by Gallery Henoch in Chelsea; and she is also an esteemed instructor at the Art Students League, both in New York City. Her work is her passion; her only diversion is sharing her knowledge and her skills with legions of students.
Her mother urged her to begin her education at Cornell University. This was not what Sharon would have chosen for herself, but she acquiesced, agreeing to try it for one year. Sharon was quickly disenchanted by the lack of studio time, structure, and rigor at Cornell, as well as by the emphasis on abstract painting. The one drawing instructor to which Sharon responded positively suggested she study elsewhere.
Sharon briefly returned home to Long Island with a plan to enroll at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League. Studiously, she wrote letters to Aaron Shikler, Daniel Greene, and Burt Silverman, and she recalls getting responses from them. When she notified her mother of her plan, Sharon was told to leave home; the resulting estrangement left her without support. She recalls that the generosity of friends and a commissioned portrait of a child provided some stability during this time.
Ultimately, Sharon spent two years studying at the National Academy with Daniel Greene and at the Art Students League with Robert Beverly Hale.
When she had exhausted her resources and could no longer manage the travel to and from New York City, she applied for a Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant and a Stacey Foundation grant. Receiving these grants was pivotal because they enabled her to support herself as she continued the trajectory to become an artist.
After many years creating her own personal figurative paintings, Sharon was approached and asked if she would consider doing a commissioned government portrait. This led to another commission, and then a short time later she was asked to paint the official portrait of Michelle Obama for the White House.
Painting people is what Sharon loves and she explains that her figurative work and portrait work inform each other: “Even though the art world thinks portrait painting and painting are different, I never saw it like that.” Sharon believes that: “Figurative painters paint much more than portraits.” In addition to new commissions for portraits, she is also working towards a forthcoming exhibition of figurative work with Gallery Henoch.
Among her recent commissions is a portrait of Janet Yellen, the first woman to head the Treasury and the Federal Reserve, and the only person to lead all three top economic institutions in the United States: the Treasury, the Fed, and the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Rhea Combs, director of curatorial affairs at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, recently said, “Sharon Sprung is a talented artist and a great choice to depict a woman as accomplished as Secretary Janet Yellen.” Combs added: “The history of portraiture favored men of privilege—from the sitters to the artists—so it is a true pleasure to see more women and artists of color working in the field to expand portraiture’s role in diversifying the visual narrative of the nation.”
Sharon notes the historical and psychological significance of portraiture, as well as the chance to honor and memorialize important people. She enjoys working with clients, many of whom are self-made women of substance. She painted Representative Patsy Mink of Hawaii, the first woman of color and first Asian-American woman elected to Congress, and she recently painted Carol B. Maloney, the Congresswoman from New York who was instrumental in getting the 9/11 Health Bill passed. Ms. Maloney symbolically wore a very heavy fire coat to Congress every day until the bill was passed. Sharon convinced her to pose for her portrait in the fire coat. That portrait was recently unveiled at the New York Athletic Club, where Hillary Clinton and Sharon spoke. About her portrait work, Sharon has said that her goal is “to capture the essence of her subjects, many of whom have made history.”
Sharon’s star continues to rise. She is preparing for her exhibition of personal work at Gallery Henoch, she continues to teach, and, in spite of her extremely busy schedule, she finds time to serve on the board of the Artists Fellowship. We at the Fellowship will be proud to honor our beloved colleague Sharon Sprung with the Benjamin West Clinedinst Award at our next awards celebration in 2026.
