130Art22-CoverFINAL_NoUPC-17.jpg

Artist Profile: Sharon Mansfield

Cape Cod Art  /  ART Annual 2022 /

Writer: Allyson Plessner

Artist Profile: Sharon Mansfield

130Art22-CoverFINAL_NoUPC-17.jpg

Cape Cod Art  /  ART Annual 2022 /

Writer: Allyson Plessner


Sharon Mansfield still remembers the very moment she fell in love with art as a young girl. “My mother taught me how to paint with oils when I was 13,” she explains. “I remember how special that day was because she never let anyone touch her paint box. I was so excited then, and that excitement has stayed with me today.”

Falmouth • Oil • 18″ x 24″

Since that meaningful day with her mother, Mansfield has found her own footing as an artist. From garden scenes evocative of Monet, to stormy Cape Cod beach panoramas, Mansfield is a master at capturing the complexities of color. “Painting is where I’m most at peace,” she says as she describes her studio, where she looks east at the morning sun through large sliding glass doors. 

“Starting a new canvas is my favorite part of painting,” says Mansfield. “Knowing that I have the ability to create something that others may enjoy is both exciting and scary all at the same time.” Mansfield describes her style as impressionism, being moved by the likes of Monet and (more locally) Norman Rockwell. “One of my favorite things to do on the Cape is look at gardens,” she notes about finding inspiration. “People take such care of their gardens, and get such pride from them; I find that to be a lovely, inspirational way of living.”  

Mansfield characterizes herself as a student of painting, explaining that she enjoys taking classes and working with other painters who help to challenge her creatively. “Being an artist on the Cape means that I have access...

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Allyson Plessner

Allyson Plessner is a former editorial intern for Cape Cod Life and now works for the publication as a staff writer and digital media coordinator. Born in Florida, Allyson has been a lifelong summer resident of the Cape. She is a recent alumna of the College of Charleston, located in Charleston, South Carolina, where she completed bachelor’s degrees in both English and Spanish. In her free time, Allyson is an avid sailor, beach-goer, and—like her fellow Cape Cod Life colleagues—a dog-lover.