shareon “bhare” blenman

As the son of immigrants, Shareon “Bhare” Blenman grew up in the United States navigating two worlds: the culture, values and spiritual views of his Caribbean ancestry and the individualism that shapes much of American life.

Today, the self-taught North Carolina artist explores that dual inheritance in large-scale paintings that examine themes of identity, emotion and belonging.

Artist: Originally from Queens, NY, Shareon Blenman (the artist known as Bhare) grew up as a first-generation Barbadian American in Waldorf, MD.

In school, he started doing art before switching to band classes. Then culinary classes.

After high school, Bhare continued his culinary studies at Johnson and Wales University, Charlotte, NC, where he received his BFA in hospitality in 2020. Midway through college, Bhare returned to making art again.

In 2021, Bhare began exhibiting his work in group and solo shows across the United States as well as in Milan and Copenhagen.

Studio: Bhare started his art practice in 2020 and went full time in 2023. He maintains a studio about the size of a two-car garage outside his house in Charlotte.

Art & materials: Expressive, folk-style paintings ($5,000 to $30,000), using heavy-body acrylics, oil pastels, soft pastels and fabric, plus digital programs such as Procreate and Art Rage Vitais.

Themes: Motifs of food, familial bonds and the Black experience.

Tools: Bristle brushes, palette knifes, lots of tape and a projector for enlarging sketches

Inspirations:

Folk art movements.
Impressionism movement and off shoots.
Spanish architecture.
Caribbean culture.

Special commissions:

A 40-foot by five-foot commission, “In my Snakeskin Boots, Traveling West to Texas” for the Spectrum Center in Addison, TX. (Pictured at right)

Bhare’s inspiration for the 2023 piece was drawn from his love of old Western movies and the feeling of traveling from one’s home in exploration and discovery of new lands when they were once wild places.

A 15-foot commission, “They Award Us,” for a private collection in Philadelphia.

“I love to tackle massive works,” said Bhare. “The first time I felt star struck by art was viewing the 10-to-20 foot paintings at the Smithsonian Museums in DC. Now I regularly try to do eight do eight to 10 large paintings a year.”

Recent honors: