Sherry Tobin creates art that is playful, energetic, and designed to spark imagination. Her work invites interaction and reaction—whether that response is amazement, amusement, or simply a smile. Sherry delights in observing how people experience her art, often enjoying moments of anonymous connection as viewers encounter her work unexpectedly.
She is especially drawn to placing sculpture beyond traditional gallery walls. One of her most recognizable works is also her mode of transportation: a bright red ladybug pickup truck, frequently towing a matching, long-lashed ladybug trailer that doubles as a personally curated mobile art gallery. This roaming artwork embodies Sherry’s belief that art belongs in everyday life, not just designated art spaces.
Sherry’s practice is rooted in finding wonder in the ordinary. She stretches the viewer’s perception by transforming familiar, mundane objects into imaginative forms—often incorporating unexpected materials such as toilet flush knobs or salt-and-pepper shakers, which she finds make perfect sculptural noses. Through humor and invention, her work encourages people to see the artistry embedded in the world around them.
At Mare Island Art Studios, Sherry is an active and engaged contributor. She produces exhibitions, promotes studio events, and leads the Pepe Ozon Public Arts Restoration Project, helping preserve and revitalize important public artworks while strengthening MIAS’s connection to the broader community.
More of Sherry’s work can be found at:
Sherry’s News & Media
Sherry Tobin Vallejo Art & Architecture Walk
Windows of opportunity for artists, empty storefronts – Daily Republic 10/4/15
Tobin’s mosaic totem pole installed at Vallejo ferry site – Times Herald 8/15/15
Utility boxes get a new look in public art project – Daily Republic 8/9/15
Public art project sprucing up Vallejo waterfront, downtown – Times Herald 8/6/15
EcoArt Camp gives kids recycling lesson – Times Herald 7/11/15
Artistic license: Fancy vehicles invade solano – Daily Republic 6/13/15
ArtCar Fest drives into Vallejo – Times Herald 6/13/15
Angel mosaic sculpture unveiled in Vallejo woman’s memory – Times Herald 01/10/15
Vallejo artist hopes to turn quakebroken glass into public art – Times Herald 08/29/14
Vallejo mosaic event turns natural disaster into beautiful art – Times Herald 08/30/14
Napa fair provides emotional rebuilding after earthquake – Napa Valley Register 09/21/14
Creative, free spirit uses art and enthusiasm to help promote Vallejo – Times Herald 02/11/14