Samuel Sharp, our current Artist in Residence, brings a quiet intensity to the Brontë Birthplace through his digital paintings and stunning artwork that invites you to slow down and see the everyday and season with fresh eyes.
Born in Bradford and working full-time as an NHS pharmacist, Sam’s artistic journey began not in a studio, but in the margins of his day-to-day life. Sketching on his phone and iPad between shifts, he found solace in capturing the overlooked beauty of pavements, hedgerows, and roadside trees. During lockdown, this practice deepened into a daily ritual, eventually leading to exhibitions, gallery representation, and his first book, The Long Look.
The Artist...
“Painting began as a quiet way to decompress,” Sam says. “I didn’t go to art school, I trained as a pharmacist. But over time, I realised that looking closely at the world around me was a way of caring for it.”
Sam describes his style as emotional realism and not a literal depiction of nature, but an attempt to convey how a moment of light or colour felt. His work often exaggerates tones, bends perspective, and heightens contrast to communicate emotional truth.
His connection to the Brontës is rooted in a shared reverence for the Yorkshire landscape. Like the Brontë siblings, Sam draws inspiration from the drama of the everyday countryside—the weather, the hedgerows, the shifting seasons.
“I feel a strong kinship with their sense of place,” he says. “There’s something timeless in the way they saw the world, and I try to carry that forward in my own way.”
Sam’s residency is part of our Artist in Residence programme, which invites creatives to use the historic Parlour as an exhibition space. It’s a cornerstone of our community ethos, designed to support local artists and offer visitors new ways to engage with the Brontë legacy.
“This programme helps us build relationships with local creatives and gives our community a chance to see their own stories reflected in the work,” says Cathy Boyden, Community Liaison. “It’s a way of making the Brontë Birthplace feel alive and relevant.”
Sam’s work is on display now in the Parlour, and visitors are welcome to drop in, explore, and experience the Yorkshire landscape through his eyes. Whether you’re a lifelong Brontë enthusiast or simply curious about contemporary art rooted in place and emotion, Sam’s residency offers a fresh and thoughtful perspective. His paintings remind us that beauty is often found in the everyday life and that looking closely is a way of caring deeply.
Sam’s artwork is displayed in the Brontë Birthplace until the end of October, 2025.
We welcome expressions of interest from artists across disciplines who are inspired by place, story, and community. Whether you’re an emerging creative or an established practitioner, the Brontë Birthplace offers a space to reflect, exhibit, and connect.
Each residency is shaped around the artist’s practice and may include informal talks, workshops, or simply being present in the space. If you’re interested in becoming a future Artist in Residence, click here to see all the details as we’d love to hear from you.