Actress Sharon Stone is no stranger to playing sexy, tough female characters. But when she was housebound with Covid-19, a friend sent her a paint-by-numbers set and the resulting artistic awakening prompted her to convert a guesthouse into her home studio.
Her paintings reflect her life experiences, ranging from meditative landscapes to energized abstractions. Her debut exhibition, Shedding, a Prelude, was recently unveiled at Gallery 33 and the historic Georgian hotel.
Actress
Actress Sharon Stone is stepping back into the spotlight with her second career as a painter. She’s been drawing and painting since childhood, inspired by her aunt Vonne, who used to fill their home with murals, and she studied art at Edinboro University in her native Pennsylvania before dropping out of college to pursue modeling. The pandemic shifted her focus to the canvas, and she began creating works that reflect her dreamy early years and her steadfast connection with nature.
After modeling in television commercials and print advertisements, she appeared on the big screen as an extra in Woody Allen’s dramedy Stardust Memories (1980), then landed her first speaking role in Wes Craven’s horror film Deadly Blessing (1981). She carved out a niche for herself as a sex symbol of the ’80s with roles in pictures like Irreconcilable Differences (1984), Cold Steel (1987) and Above the Law (1988).
In 1995, Stone became an international icon when Martin Scorsese cast her as a femme fatale in Casino, which won her a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination. She followed up with roles in Sliver (1993), Gloria, The Specialist (1994) and Sphere (1998), and made numerous guest appearances on TV, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Practice. She currently divides her time between Los Angeles and New York City, where she focuses on painting.
Painter
Sharon Stone is known for her acting talents in movies like Casino and Basic Instinct, but she’s also a talented painter. The actress, 65, first took up painting as a kid, inspired by her Aunt Vonne who would craft murals in their home, and studied the subject in college. But it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that she really embraced her artmaking. “I found a whole new way of channeling my creative instincts,” she says, noting that she’d go to museums when they were closed and spend four to 17 hours each day creating paintings.
Stone’s new collection of 19 paintings will be on display Oct. 12 through Dec. 3 at C. Parker Gallery in Greenwich, Conn., a 40-minute train ride from New York City. The show has already been lauded by Jerry Saltz, senior art critic at New York Magazine, and will be her second solo exhibit.
One of the pieces on display is a botanical painting entitled “It’s My Garden, Asshole,” which depicts a nest of bloody vipers that Stone compares to a patriarchal society that thinks it can just take everything from natural resources to political power. Stone says that the piece reflects her desire to shed old ways of thinking and embrace her feminine strength.
Sculptor
Sharon Stone is a celebrity who carries a lot of weight, both in terms of her fame and her accomplishments. She’s an Oscar winner, a two-time Emmy nominee and has earned many other accolades over the course of her career. But one thing that not everyone is familiar with is that she’s also a talented artist. The Basic Instinct actress recently revealed her artistic skills to the world by revealing a lineup of paintings on Instagram and gaining a lot of praise in the process.
Stone started painting as a child, but she put it to the side when her acting career took off. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, she rediscovered her love of art, and she now paints every day (four to 17 hours).
She has been sculpting in stone for 14 years, after taking a class while on a trip. Now, you can see her work all over her property on Bainbridge Island, as well as in galleries in New York and Los Angeles.
In addition to her sculptures, she’s been a frequent host of art auctions that raise money for organizations like Bailey House and Housing Works. Earlier this year, she hosted an event that honored photographer Nan Goldin for her work exploring HIV and AIDS. The night included an auction of artwork, luxury items and one-of-a-kind experiences.
Lasting Beauty
As a young woman, Sharon Stone was one of Hollywood’s most striking figures. She had platinum blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and an alluring figure, which made her perfect for the role of the femme fatale. Her sultry voice and ability to take control of her life were also assets. But despite her beauty and talent, she struggled with addiction and mental illness. In this memoir, she recounts her life and discusses the importance of recovery.
After a brief pause in her acting career, Stone is now making waves in the art world with her new work. She has begun painting landscapes inspired by her dreamy childhood and resolute connection to nature. She is also exploring the medium through meditative abstractions.
A few weeks ago, a small crowd gathered at Allouche Gallery in Los Angeles for the debut of her latest paintings. Patrons crowded around to see her impressive pieces, which featured idyllic landscapes verging on abstraction and moody colors. On a cold and rainy night, Stone stood in front of her work while wearing a sombrero and a pair of mirrored sunglasses.
Shedding, a Prelude is a celebration of women’s strength and resilience, and a call to activism. In this powerful book, Sharon Stone shares her story in a voice that is both intimate and honest. She reveals the pain and shame of her past, the ways in which she was silenced, and how she reclaimed her power and found meaning through her children and humanitarian work.