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About the Artist
Sharon Prestegard
Sharon and Mr Awe Dacity at the 2003 World Championship Appaloosa Show |
Having a lifelong love of horses, drawing them since she was old enough to hold a pencil, and riding and training her own horses as well as others, has certainly fueled the passionate fire Sharon Prestegard has for portraying the equine subject in her artwork. In addition to this desire for horses, she attended Bemidji State University of Minnesota and completed 4 years of study under the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program.
Sharon produces and markets her artwork from the loft of her log home, perched upon a hill overlooking green pastures full of horses, near Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Sharing her home with her husband, Steve and their three small children, forces her to work nights ... thus the name LIGHT IN THE LOFT STUDIO.
WESTERN TREASURE, a large original colored pencil artwork initially caught some recognition through local art shows, winning several first place awards for drawing and a Best of Show award in 1994. With encouragement from her husband and several horse enthusiasts that requested a print, WESTERN TREASURE was released as Sharon's first limited edition print, followed closely with the release of SUNSATIONAL PAINTS, which was originally designed for the cover of the 1996 Minnesota Paint Horse Association Directory cover. Her artwork has appeared or been featured in the following major publications:
"Crimson Lark" Sharon's gelding "BUGSY" used as the model for the artwork and photograghy that was featured on the covers of the Appaloosa Journal and 2004 Calendar. |
- APPALOOSA JOURNAL (OCT and NOV 2003)
- EQUINE VISION MAGAZINE (Spring 2004)
- PAINT HORSE JOURNAL
- EQUUS (25th Anniversary Edition)
- HORSE AND RIDER
- ART TRENDS
- THE EQUINE IMAGE
- US ART
- SOUTHWEST ART
- Artwork was on the cover of the Minnesota Paint Horse Directory 1996, 1997 and 1998.
- Artwork was on the cover of the Minnesota Pinto Horse Directory 2001,2002, 2003, 2004.
- NORTH CENTRAL REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY (cover) 1997,1999
- OKLAHOMA QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION TODAY (cover)
- Western Horseman Magazine (Dec.2000)
- Minnesota Pinto Horse Association 2001 Directory
 Commissioned by the American Paint Horse Association in 1998 to create the Official World Championship Show Poster, resulted in the work, PRIDE IN A GLANCE. The posters were a sell-out at the show! Consequent to this, Sharon was commissioned by the 1st Annual Tri-Challenge Extravaganza 2000 Horse Show to create its first commemorative show poster which will be available in April of 2000, IF WISHES WERE HORSES.
She used her own horse for the model and created the portrait of BRENNAS LIL KID, which won 1st Place, Best of Division at the 1999 Western States Horse Expo Juried Art Competition in Sacramento, California.
The North American Horsemans Association awarded Sharon Prestegard the 1999 EQUINE ARTIST OF DISTICTION.
Sharon allows time to accept a limited number of commissioned portraits and allows visitors to the studio by appointment.
Sharon Prestegards recent endeavors have also included equine photography. Her photography is featured in the following:
- Appaloosa Journal (cover Oct. 2003) featuring ApHC gelding Crimson Lark
- Appaloosa Calendar 2004 (Cover and Months of Feb, July and Sept)
featuring Crimson Lark, Mr Awe Dacity and Mr Awe Thentic
- Appaloosa National Show Program cover 2004 (featuring Mr Awe Thentic of Ridge Runner Ranch)
- Quarter Horse News (advertisements for Timber Haze Quarter Horses, featuring stallion Fire Water On Ice)
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." - Phillipians 4:8
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