Sharon Nowlan grew up drawing, painting and creating inspired by the natural beauty of her home in the seaside village of Pictou, Nova Scotia. As a mother, the seascape and landscape came into tighter focus. Her son was three when he gathered a handf

ul of pebbles at the beach, ending up in her first mixed media art piece. She's since dedicated herself to the craft, working in this medium for nearly two decades. In her home studio hidden away behind fruit trees, Sharon says she enjoys her "messy

little spot." She describes it being "filled with trays of pebbles and glass and empty coffee cups." Influenced by her evolving style, Sharon's designs include other natural objects like shells, twigs, driftwood and bits of sea glass.