Shar Coulson’s paintings explore the tension between perception and reality. Each exploration reflects her heightened ability to see recognizable organic forms hinting at animals, figures, and plant-like references in otherwise abstract patterns. The lush paint application plays with solid contrast and a spectrum of tonal shifts, resulting in a harmonious balance of expressive energy and lush tranquility. She was formally trained in classical figurative realism, yet finds her passion runs most profoundly in the world of abstraction. A successful career as a designer and executive creative director also deeply informed her sensibility. Shar exhibits both nationally and internationally. She lives and works in the Near West Side Market District of Chicago, Illinois, USA.