“Before domestication, we don’t care what we are or what we look like. We never pretend to be what we are not. After domestication, we try to be good enough for everybody else, but we are no longer good enough for ourselves because we can never live up to our image of perfection.” - don Miguel Ruiz
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From a very young age we create these masks that we wear. It’s not just one mask, but many. We spend most of our time trying to be someone we are not-trying to live up to the expectations that we feel others put on us.
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We long to fit in and be accepted. We seek approval. What if everything you’ve been told is a lie? What if all of the negative things you believe about yourself don’t actually exist?
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Deep inside of you lies your authentic self, dormant, waiting to be free once again. Truth be told, you have within you the power right now to rewrite your story. It’s yours and you have full control of how it reads.
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The Many Masks We Wear
Oh Dear!
The masks I use are a form of symbolism and often represent different characters in my story.
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This one is the first one I ever purchased. It still remains an important piece of what I do. Masks have been a transformative and pivotal element in my art.
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Credit to artist @tumblingup for sculpting such amazing masks 🎭 🐰
Come Back to Self
Sometimes, oftentimes these days, my mind is a blur. Everything is whizzing by and I’ve come to realize I need to slow down, practice saying “No”, and prioritize better.
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I began this journey to Self about a year ago now, and I’ve become aware that somewhere along the way my attention began focusing outward again instead of inward.
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So here I am once again, ready to commit to myself and complete the tasks that I take on along the way. I don’t want to lose sight of creating for ME in the process.
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Here is a self-portrait I made yesterday. I’ve always loved out of focus images. They stay with me longer, like a memory or dream. They are a feeling, a time, a place.
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What does an out of focus image represent to you? How do they make you feel? I know some struggle with them because they are technically incorrect and flawed. I think the flaws are what make an image unique, just like us.
Surrender | Self-Portrait
Making this type of art feels so natural to me. It’s become a part of who I am. I tend to forget that for many, it’s not what they would consider normal.
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It’s easy to fall into the trap of being small to avoid the judgement from others. We (I) have to remember to be unapologetic about who we are (who I am).
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Making this self-portrait today felt so damn good. While there are certainly times I wish I had someone else to create with, share ideas with, someone to have this experience with- I also find myself feeling energized and excited to have this time with myself. Today was no exception.
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Introvert much?
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Here’s what I did with some of my alone time today. I put on a nude colored body suit, went into my backyard, lit a smoke bomb, covered myself with a vintage bridal veil, and put myself in all sorts of odd poses.... and it felt great to express myself in this way once again.
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Do you prefer to create alone or would you rather have a partner in crime?
Calling All Creatives
Wanted: Creative, emotional Artist seeking her tribe of like-minded Artists.
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My Belief: I believe in creating for self-love, self-awareness, self-discovery, self-reflection, self-guidance, self-healing and introspection. My core belief is that by practicing these things you will become a better person to serve those around you.
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Have you ever been moved by someone else’s art? Have you ever felt connected in some way to another’s magic?
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We, as Artists, are healers.
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My 4 week interactive Expressive Self Portraiture course through The Define School is now OPEN for registration! We will spend 4 weeks online together learning and practicing the tools I give you for creating art for yourself. You will learn how to think outside the box and bring your inner stories to life in a healing and expressive way. In this course I share everything. I hold nothing back.
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Answer the call and join me by clicking THIS LINK for more information.
I’m so damn excited for this! ♥️
Class beings September 10th!
Out of the Darkness
My self-portraiture was born out of a dark place, but over time, has evolved just as we all do.
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As I’m sure you can tell, I’m most drawn to mysterious, dark, dreamlike, and oftentimes weird/creepy imagery. I have an active imagination and I enjoy the process of trying to bring it all to life.
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Did you know I don’t use Photoshop to edit my images?
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I truly enjoy the process of bringing my weird ideas to life. Sometimes it comes with its challenges since I can’t easily add in something during post processing.
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This self-portrait was taken in my backyard. I used a smoke bomb in the woods and wore a vintage dress and hat I found at a local thrift store. I kept my face shadowed to add to the mystery of this ghost-like woman in the woods.
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As an introvert I much prefer shooting my self-portraits in my house or on my property, although I do have a funny story or two about shooting in public places!
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Now that I shared a little about my process, what’s yours like? Do you live for the shoot or the editing process? Does your image come to life before or after editing? Or is it a combination of both? Do you prefer to be out in public or hidden?
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Share in the comments below. Also, I’ll make a post soon for those bloopers I’ve experienced out in public!
Rejection
Have you ever been rejected?
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It doesn’t feel good, I know.
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But what if you used that rejection to fuel your fire🔥 and become even more amazing?
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Instead of allowing it to bring you down, let it motivate you.
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I’ve been checking my email for weeks in hopes of an acceptance email. You usually can tell by the header. “Congratulations!”
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Today the email came, except it was a rejection email.
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For a brief moment I let the sting set in and bring me down. The questions began circling through my mind. How? Why? What could I have done different?
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I quickly put a stop to it and decided I would continue submitting to them. After all, what’s the worst thing that can happen?
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So many people share their successes and leave out their failures. I’ve been guilty of doing that myself ✋🏼. I think many of us have feelings of shame in rejection and failure. It’s embarrassing.
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Have you been rejected recently? Or have you had a recent success? Either way, I’d love to hear about it! Comment below and let’s lift each other up and inspire one another.
The Story Behind the Image
I used a long exposure to create this self-portrait in September of 2016.
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I had reached a point in my life where I almost felt I was in two places at once.
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Part of me was coming out of this dark place I had been in for what felt like so long.
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I could separate myself from that place and look back at that version of me, and to be quite honest, I wasn’t sure what this newer version of me was all about yet.
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As humans we tend to stay with what feels safe, even if that “safe” isn’t good for us.
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I almost felt as if I were turning my back on myself, which is what led to the concept of this self-portrait.
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You guys, there is one thing I will attest to and that is this-
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Art heals.
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My hope and wish for you is that you allow yourselves the freedom to explore, play, create, make mistakes and know that it’s completely fine.
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Let go of any judgments you have towards your work or yourself. That’s only going to weigh you down and hold you back from all of the greatness that is YOU.
What Lights You Up?
Teaching has been a part of my life since I was 17 years old.
I started teaching piano lessons to children when I was straight out of high school. It was such a fun and rewarding time.
When I had my son at 22 I remember some of the parents would ask me to bring him to the lessons so they could hold him and play with him.
Shortly after my daughter arrived I set piano lessons aside and picked up a camera. I quickly developed a passion to learn more and be a photographer.
It took me YEARS to say aloud that I was a photographer. Piano teacher was all I knew. Who was I to call myself a photographer yet alone an artist?!
Now, my teaching continues. I made my dream come true and I teach at The Define School.
But here’s the thing....those children that I taught piano lessons to? They taught me just as much.
The women who have taken my Expressive Self Portraiture class? They have taught me just as much.
Not only that, but they have touched my heart and left an impact on me that’s almost indescribable.
Teaching lights me up. What lights you up?
Self-Care
In September 2017 I decided to make a commitment to myself. Up until then I poured my heart and soul into my photography.
Leading up to this past year I felt I needed to create almost as much as I needed air, but then I felt a shift.
Even though I have dedicated so much time to art, I felt like I wasn’t giving myself everything I needed to thrive.
I made a commitment to myself. I wasn’t going to allow guilt to creep in, as we all know it tries to so hard.
I began a daily yoga practice, meditation, journaling, and reading as much I can. I blocked off time in my mornings and hoped the people in my life would understand.
I’m not going to lie. Change scares people! It was an adjustment. It was also one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Do you set aside time for you? For the things you love? The things that call to your soul?
I wholeheartedly believe that you will be so much closer to the best version of you if you allow time for yourself.
Guilt free time.
What is it that your heart longs to do that you put off because there just doesn’t seem to be enough time?
When you invest in yourself, not only do you benefit from it, but the people around you and in your life do as well.
Hi! I'm Sharon Covert
Hi, I’m Sharon Covert! For years I lived under this false belief that you could get to know me through my art alone.
I allowed fear to control what I shared.
I allowed fear to censor my words, my truth.
Fear of judgment. Fear of not being understood. Fear of not being liked.
I hesitated on sharing the good things that have come my way. The things I have worked hard for, all in fear that you would think I’m bragging or being show-offy. I made that word up, but it fits.
I held back my WHY, my reason why I began experimenting with self-portraiture.
All in fear.
This year the one sentence that has come up the most for me in my journal is this-
Lead by example.
It’s small yet profound, and I plan to do just that, for me, my children, my family and friends, and you. I can’t possibly be the only one who has experienced these feelings.
And while I may be writing more for YOU to get to know ME better, I also want to get to know you better. Has anyone else experienced similar thoughts and feelings when it comes to your art and social media?
If you made it this far, thank you, and it’s nice to meet you!
Click Magazine
I was never one to set goals for myself, but over the last few years I have made a point to make a list of goals that I wish to accomplish with my photography. While I have crossed off many each year, there was one that I always transferred over to the new year, never giving up hope and determination. I'm beyond thrilled to share with you that I have a feature in the May/June 2018 issue of Click Magazine! If you don't already subscribe, you can find the newest issue in your local Barnes and Noble store. I want to thank all of you who have reached out to me over the last 2 weeks to tell me you saw the feature. That kindness never goes unappreciated. Thank you all so much for support!
Time Stops for No One {Self-Portrait}
Divine Guidance
See Me Without Judgment
Myths, Legends, and Dreams - PhotoPlace Gallery, VT
I'm pleased to announce that my self-portrait, Artio, will be in the upcoming Myths, Legends, and Dreams exhibition at the PhotoPlace Gallery in Middleburg, Vermont. The exhibition will open on March 7, 2018 and run through March 31, 2018. If anyone is in the area, I'd love for you to stop by and check it out!
International Monochrome Awards
It's always a surreal feeling when something like this happens, but my self-portrait, Love is Blind, has placed 3rd in the Conceptual category in the International Monochrome Awards for 2017.
Vibrations of Nature
I've always felt more connected in nature; connected to my true self, my surroundings, everything living and breathing. My senses are especially heightened, and I am more attuned to what is happening all around me; from the birds singing, the wind rustling through the trees, the crunch of the leaves under the deer hooves, to the distinct, damp smell of fall. There is music to be heard if you just take the time to listen. Every living and breathing thing has a voice in its own unique way, and this is mine.
