Conversations with Mwasaa Sherard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mwasaa Sherard.

Hi mwasaa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Art Is My Superpower: The Journey of Mwasaa D. Sherard

For nearly three decades, Mwasaa D. Sherard has been shaping the world through art—both as a professional artist and as an educator who believes creativity can heal, empower, and transform lives.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mwasaa’s love affair with art began early. Raised by her father and paternal grandmother, she was surrounded by strong influences who nurtured her curiosity. Her grandmother, who often took her to the De Young Museum, opened her eyes to the beauty and power of artistic expression. Those experiences planted a seed that would grow into a lifelong calling.

“Art literally saved my life,” Mwasaa reflects. “I learned that making art and teaching are my reasons, my purpose, and my passion.”

Through the years, Mwasaa has discovered that art is more than a skill—it’s a bridge between her inner world and the world around her. As a visual artist, she’s explored themes rooted in non-Western history, ideas, and icons, bringing depth and perspective to her creative work. Art has been her therapy, her spiritual compass, and her voice through life’s many transitions—as a wife, mother, woman, and community leader.

In 1982, Mwasaa married her college sweetheart. Together, they raised three creative and brilliant sons, first in North Carolina, where she began teaching as an assistant in special needs education before being promoted to Art Teacher. In 1995, she and her family moved to Georgia, where she deepened her commitment to both art and education.

By 2005, she had joined DeKalb County Schools as a certified art teacher, balancing her teaching with her ongoing work as a teaching artist and exhibiting visual artist. Her classrooms became spaces of exploration, where students learned not only about art but about seeing the world with curiosity and courage.

> “Art can open young minds, spark wonder, and cultivate courage to explore new ideas,” she says. “It helps students see beauty and possibility in themselves and in the world.”

Her leadership and dedication have also extended beyond the classroom. Mwasaa has served as:

Art Chair for DeKalb Region III (2017–2018) and Region VI (2019–2020)

New Teacher Mentor (2017–2021)

Member of the Counselors Advisory Committee (2021–2022)

Secretary for the Principals Advisory Council (2018–2019)

Her work and commitment have not gone unnoticed. In 2008, she was named Teacher of the Year at the DeKalb Academy of Technology and Environment, and in 2021, she received the prestigious GAEA Elementary Teacher of the Year Award.

Today, Mwasaa continues to inspire both her students and her community as an artist-educator, blending mindfulness, creativity, and cultural awareness into her teaching practice. Her art remains a vessel for storytelling, healing, and empowerment—a testament to the resilience and beauty of the human spirit.

“Art is my superpower,” she says with a smile. “It has carried me through every chapter of my life—and it continues to guide me as I help others discover theirs.”

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

My challenges have been largely economic, shaped by a world where the safety and value of young Black girls are often overlooked. I was raised in a working-class family and became the first in my family to graduate from high school, earn a college degree in Black Studies, become a certified art teacher, and go on to complete a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. Later, I earned a second master’s in Mindfulness, Social-Emotional Learning, and Yoga.

Throughout my education, I struggled with writing, but art became—and remains—my saving grace. My creative talent gave me confidence and a path to healing. Through art, I found the courage to confront and transform my own traumas, challenge systemic barriers, and celebrate my abilities. My work allows me to interpret personal and societal pain through a lens of resilience, pride, and promise.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My artwork explores my connection to nature and the serenity we feel at the ocean’s edge or along the shore of a lake,” she says. “I call these healing and restorative landscapes and seascapes ‘Water Stories.’ They are visual meditations on peace, renewal, and the sacred rhythm of nature.”

Alongside her art practice, Mwasaa is passionate about teaching mindfulness and creative self-care. She teaches Mindful Drawing and Chair Yoga for restorative self-care to caretakers, therapists, and teachers—those who give deeply of themselves and need spaces for renewal. She also leads adult watercolor classes in her art space at Westside Market and plein air classes in the spring, inviting participants to reconnect with creativity in community and in nature.

By day, she teaches Pre-K public school art full time, nurturing young minds through imagination, color, and expression. On Fridays, she brings Chair Yoga into her school’s art program, helping students learn stillness, awareness, and self-regulation through movement and breath.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Going to the DeYoung Museum the Japanese Gardens and the Botanical Gardens with my family .Seeing all the beautiful and interesting art and objects.

Haging out with my grandmother on the weekends; learning to sew, upholster, help her with crafty things and her teaching me how to drive. I loved learning to do and make things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https//:www.mwasaasartspacestudio.com
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mwasaasherard6795?si=T-Z0vnXorBvygD3k

Image Credits
Mwasaa sherard