A new moon has risen over the creative landscape of Sharon Stone. Recently, the activist, memoirist, and actor—known for films Total Recall, Basic Instinct, and Casino, among others—debuted a series of paintings in Greenwich, Connecticut at C. Parker Gallery, her first exhibition outside of Los Angeles. Sharon Stone: Welcome To My Garden showcases 19 paintings that imbue with her passion for nature, the profoundness of color to move us, and for shaping human imperfections or weaknesses into strength. “I created these works to understand the essence of pure creativity that comes from heartfelt truth, to let go of the noise, the judgements, and the pollution of our societal pulls,” she shared at the exhibition’s outset. This truthful expression is gaining buzz beyond the celebrity sphere, most notably by Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic, Jerry Saltz, who recently joined Stone for a panel discussion at New York City’s Vulture Festival about her creative process.

Atop Emmy and Golden Globe awards, and an Oscar nomination, Stone has earned many honors—the Women Making History Award from the National Women’s History Museum; the Einstein Spirit of Achievement Award; the Nobel Peace Summit Award Laureate; Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in France; the 2023 Courage Award; the Harvard Humanitarian Award; and the Human Rights Campaign Humanitarian Award.

Despite the many achievements, Stone has endured significant challenges—those of public scrutiny, a very serious brain illness and recovery in the early 2000s, and the universally trying nature of personal relationships. She is candid in her conversations with Saltz about healing these traumas, and how the act of painting—which she shares she does between four and 17 hours a day—has been instrumental in the process.

We photographed Stone during a recent trip to Saudi Arabia for this milestone 25th anniversary issue. Shortly thereafter, we had a quick conversation about the freedom and sanctity of this new phase of her life.

You’ve entered a new chapter in creative expression. What about this chapter is unique to anything else you’ve done historically? 

This is something I began as a child and now have the opportunity to pursue without fear of failure as an adult.

There is so much discourse about the notion of an artist knowing when a painting is actually done. What are your thoughts on this? Have you struggled with accepting an artwork is finished, or does this come intuitively?

Of course, at first I wanted perfection. But then I came back to that phrase “Only God is perfect,” and indeed there is nothing very artful in perfect imitation.

What kind of research or media have you absorbed that you feel has aided your journey as a painter?

I’ve had the great good fortune to travel all over the world, experience culture and art from a myriad of places and people, museums and lands.

‍What kind of skilled behaviors or experiences do you feel you are bringing to the world of contemporary art that might support your thriving in it?

I have explored the human condition from my own perspective as well as that of the minds of the characters I’ve had the opportunity to play. This has given me a unique ability to experience the world from a place of curiosity—not judgment.

You just had a public conversation with art critic Jerry Saltz about your artistic journey. What was illuminating about this conversation? What occurred that you didn’t quite expect?

We have now had two public discourses. It is incredibly illuminating to sit with a master and simply discuss how life affects the work.

Many talk of painting’s ability to heal. How might you relate to this notion?

Painting, for me, sheds the artifice that others put upon one. There is nothing more healing than getting to one’s core self.

What advice might you offer to your 25-year-old self, with the luxury of hindsight?

You’ve got this. It’s ok to fail. These failures are a part of teaching you how to find your own unique path. Eventually, they won’t feel like failures—it will feel like lightbulbs showing you the way.

Photographed by Eric Michael Roy

Creative Directed and Styled by Paris Libby at A-Frame Agency 

Written by Matthew Bedard

Hair: Alexandre Protti

Makeup: Giulia Caillaud and Jo Baker at Forward Artists (water images)

Photographed in Alula, Saudi Arabia

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