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Andy Sharkey paints her Royal Oak store.

Local Woman Changes
Jobs: Vet To Artist

JENNIFER FINER

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18

W. BLOOMFIELD
5731 W. Maple
855-3400

FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1992

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■ ‘

WEST BLOOMFIELD • MICHIGAN
Orchard Lake Road • North of Maple

ndy Sharkey used to
be a veterinarian un-
til she got bored. Now
she is an artist and has plans
to open her own store in
Royal Oak.
Ms. Sharkey, a 43-year-old
Oak Park native, has always
enjoyed art as a hobby. But,
when she was younger, she
never had formal classes and
never had intentions of
becoming an artist. In fact,
she always wanted to be a
veterinarian.

A few years ago, Ms.
Sharkey was visiting friends
in Lansing. They liked her
art work and asked if she
would paint a mural in their
daughter's room.
"At that moment, I got the
idea painting murals would
be a fun business. It's funny;
the decision just came on a
whim while we were taking
a walk," she said.

Ms. Sharkey never got
around to painting the
mural in her friends' home.
When she returned from
Lansing, she decided her
business would consist of
painting furniture and
walls, and placed a news-
paper ad. Since then, word of
her business has spread and
she has built up a large list
of customers.
"People would come to my
house and end up buying the
paintings I had done for fun,
right off my walls. Friends
would come over for dinner
and leave with a painting,"
she said.
Ms. Sharkey's current job
is painting murals on the
walls of her own store, Andy
Sharkey Gallery in Royal
Oak, which she expects to
open within four to six
weeks.
What does Ms. Sharkey
paint?

"Anything that will stand
still," she said.
All of her work is custom
ordered and the furniture
she paints usually comes
from either the customer, a
flea market, or by purchas T
ing unfinished furniture.
wholesale.
Once Ms. Sharkey's
gallery is open, she will sell
what she calls an eclectic
collection of 10-15 Michigan
artists' work, including jew-
elry, dolls, pillows, pain-
tings, photographs an--I
handmade paper. The back
of the store will be he
workroom, where she will
paint custom orders.
Once her store is open, she
plans to host arts and crafts
workshops for children.
Funds raised from these
classes will go to charity.
Ms. Sharkey's murals take
a few days and can cost bet-
ween $400 and $800. Simple
subjects are less expensive.
Furniture takes longer,
according to Ms. Sharkey,
because there are several
steps, including sanding and
painting up to four coats.
She charges $25-$60 for
simple picture frames,
bookends and coat racks.
Furniture runs up to $400.
Getting the store ready to
open has turned into a fami -
ly project.
"My mother is my book-
keeper, organizer, furniture
preparer and saleslady. My I
father has been patchino- the
walls and my husband b and
son have done some painting
and my daughter is my
critic," she said.
Ms. Sharkey says her
family has been very suppor- -
tive of her career change.
"I think what my daughter
is doing is great," said
Virginia Sharkey. "Anyone
who can give up being a doc-
tor to become an artist, that
takes a lot of guts. But she
has got a lot of talent for
it." ❑