From the time she was five years old, Sharon Lieberwirth knew she wanted to make art. She was the child who was always drawing, always creating. Today, her vibrant acrylic paintings—filled with soulful dogs, elegant birds, luminous florals and landscapes infused with Cape Cod’s unmistakable light—reflect not only decades of artistic growth, but a lifetime spent observing the natural world with equal measures of curiosity and affection. 

A lifelong Cape Cod resident, Lieberwirth attended the former Swain School of Design in New Bedford, graduating in its final class before the historic institution closed and its professors and programs were assimilated in the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. A major in graphic design eventually led her to a successful career in interior design, yet the education she received extended far beyond any single discipline.

“One of the things I learned that helped me particularly in interior design was I realized how important scale is,” she explains. “That education influenced everything.”

Years spent designing interiors sharpened her understanding of composition and proportion—skills that continue to shape her paintings today. Large canvases feel natural to her, and even the smallest works possess a confident sense of balance. She remains an eager student, visiting museums whenever possible and continually studying the work of artists she admires.

Among her many influences, Claude Monet stands out, as his command of atmosphere and color resonates deeply with her own artistic voice. Lieberwirth’s paintings often feature softly layered backgrounds that seem to glow from within. They hint at marshes, tidal flats or distant water without describing them literally, allowing viewers to experience a feeling rather than simply recognize a place.

“I think there is an intentional moodiness and depth within my work,” she says. “I’m a very spiritual person, and I’m very connected to anything nature related.”

That connection to nature runs through nearly every canvas she creates. Owls, herons, ravens, flowers and especially dogs become more than subjects—they become personalities. Lieberwirth intentionally avoids placing people in most of her paintings, preferring imagery that invites broader emotional interpretation. “The dog paintings are my number one passion,” she says. “I’m so connected to animals.”

Capturing that connection depends on meticulous observation. For Lieberwirth, the smallest details often carry the greatest emotional weight. “It’s always about the eyes,” she says. “The beak has to be right; the eye has to be right.”

While those details anchor the painting, she believes light is what truly brings it to life. Reflections, subtle shifts in color and carefully considered light sources create dimension that keeps acrylic from appearing flat. Even a white Labrador or a white vintage automobile becomes an intricate study of reflected blues, purples and warm neutrals rather than simply white paint on canvas.

Lieberwirth has now been painting for roughly sixteen years, beginning shortly after the death of a family member which prompted her to finally open the paints she had purchased years earlier. “I just said, ‘I’m going to do it,’” she recalls. “I did that first painting, and I never stopped.”

She paints several times a week whenever possible, often on an enclosed porch where wildlife provides a constant soundtrack and her dogs rest nearby. Inspiration may come from a garden bloom, a commission, or simply an imagined scene that gradually takes shape through color and brushwork.

Like many accomplished artists, Lieberwirth has learned that confidence arrives slowly. Years of commissions and satisfied collectors have given her permission to acknowledge something that once felt uncomfortable to say aloud. “I do know I’m a good painter,” she says with a laugh. “It’s an accomplishment.”

That quiet confidence is balanced by humility and a genuine love of learning. Conversations with fellow artists—like Brewster artist Jack Dickerson—continue to inspire her, as does the ongoing challenge of solving each new painting. Sometimes a canvas is finished in a single burst of certainty; other times it waits patiently until the final brushstroke reveals itself.

For Lieberwirth, every painting remains an act of discovery—a deeply personal expression rooted in Cape Cod’s landscape, illuminated by light, and animated by the enduring beauty of the natural world.  

Sharon Lieberwirth’s work can be seen at her Facebook page Sharon Lieberwirth/BLUE SKY Designs and on Instagram @sharonlieberwirth.

~Julie Craven Wagner