Sharon Dunn Havelka constructs mixed media quilt sculptures from old clothes and other used materials either found or given to her by family and friends. Her work highlights the marginalized, the overlooked, that which is considered weird or unusual, and sews them into beautifully crafted and highly detailed objects. She is inspired by her unique upbringing as a descendent of the Delta Chinese, and from her skills and experience learned as an ICU RN. She was born and lives in Memphis, TN.

Education

2008 Southwest TN Community College, Associates of Applied Science, RN

1994 Memphis College of Art, Bachelor’s of Fine Art, Majoring in Fine Art Painting

Solo Exhibition

2024 Remember, Arts First Gallery, Memphis, TN

2023 Salmon Skin Fried and Other Delicacies, Beverly+Sam Ross Gallery, CBU, Memphis, TN

Collaborative Installation

2024 Amalgamation, with Charles Havelka, Germantown Community Library, Germantown, TN

Two-Person Exhibition

2023 Overstuffed, A Sister Show, with Paula Kovarik, ArtsMemphis, Memphis, TN

6Points Group Exhibitions

2025 Taking Up Space, Bradbury Art Museum, Jonesboro, TN

2024 The Meeting Room, STCC Gallery, Memphis, TN

2023 2Sides / 6Points, UT Martin Fine Arts Gallery, Martin, TN

Juried Group Exhibitions

2025 Quilts=Art=Quilts, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY

2024 Art of the South, Number: Inc., Stove Works, Chattanooga, TN

2022 Choice, Marshall Arts, Memphis, TN

Art of Science, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN

Fiberart International, Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

2021 Quilt National, The Dairy Barn Arts Center, traveling exhibit

Art Quilt Elements 2020, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

2020 62nd Delta Exhibition, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR

2019 Color Schemes, Crosstown Arts West Gallery, Memphis, TN

3D Expressions, Studio Art Quilt Association, traveling exhibit

Fiber Focus, Art St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

Art of the South, Number: Inc., Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN

BLUE, Crosstown Arts East Gallery, Memphis, TN

2018 Homeward Bound, Crosstown Arts West Gallery, Memphis, TN

Quilt + Resist, Women Made Gallery, Chicago, Il

WAR Paint!, Artspace Lofts, Memphis, TN

Invitational Gallery Shows

2025 Fiber Arts, Dixon Interactive Gallery, Memphis, TN

2024 Rising Up!, Francine Kelly Gallery, Oak Bluffs, MA

Between Heaven and Earth, We Build Our Home, UrbanArts Commission, Memphis, TN

2023 Asian American in the South, Museum of Science and History, Memphis, TN

2022 Memphis Airport Concourse B, Memphis, TN

2021 Memphis 21, The Dixon Gallery, Memphis, TN

2020 Arts Accelerator Exhibit, ArtsMemphis, Memphis, TN

Awards / Residencies / Grants

Quilt National 21’

Crosstown Artists Residency, Memphis, TN

ArtsAccelerator Grant, ArtsMemphis, Memphis TN

In Collections

Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum, Cleveland, MS

UrbanArt Commission Movable Collection, Memphis, TN