Sharon Koskoff shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Sharon, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Coffee. Coffee. And more coffee! Then I swim laps for 30 minutes — the year-round Florida sunshine makes this meditative routine possible.
Afterward, I check my calendar to review appointments and set my goals for the day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Sharon Koskoff. Although I’ve reinvented myself many times, the one thing that has remained constant is my passion for Art & Culture! My brand has come to be known as “The Trilogy: Art, Architecture & Community.”
• Art: I’m a full-time professional artist, designer, and organizer working in multiple mediums.
• Architecture: I’m a preservationist, architectural historian, and public speaker specializing in the styles of Twentieth Century Modernism.
• Community: My public art projects collaborate with artists, nonprofits, and cultural organizations to create engaging and meaningful work.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
As a child, I loved sewing, building, and designing in my father Papa Ruby Koskoff’s blouse factory. At 14, I painted my first mural. I entered Brooklyn College at 16, initially as a Special Education major, but I gravitated toward studio art — sculpture and photography became my passions. Sculpture taught me to embrace abstraction and physical form; photography gave me an eye for composition, contrast, and balance.
After college, I worked in the needlecraft industry and started my own business, New York Needlecraft, designing custom canvases signed “By Sharon.” My Art Deco–inspired work eventually earned me the nickname “The Art Deco Lady.” When I moved to Delray Beach in 1985, I had no idea what the world had in store!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Rejection. When I first arrived in Florida, I didn’t fit in — especially as a New Yorker in a place dominated by seasonal snowbirds. I faced closed doors in art leagues and shows. But I didn’t give up. I transformed rejection into motivation and success. Five years later, I was a successful mural artist, I became the founding president of the Art Deco Society of the Palm Beaches and was featured on front pages and public platforms.
Rejection is part of the process of being an artist — but each “yes” makes all the “no’s” worth it. I learned to celebrate the wins and keep moving forward. Make the successes outweigh the rejections!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Freedom of Expression.
I organize Art in the Alley (www.ArtInTheAlley.org), a community project where 50 artists paint mural panels that revitalize urban alleys in Delray Beach. There are no rules or rejections — just creativity, inclusion, collaboration, volunteerism and expression. Now more than ever, America needs to protect diverse voices and artistic freedom.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Legacy matters deeply to me.
I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference — creatively, culturally, and communally. I’ve written two books (Art Deco of the Palm Beaches and Murals of the Palm Beaches), published countless articles, and left visible marks in public art.
I have donated my personal Art & Architectural Library Collection of the Art Deco Society of the Palm Beaches— 1,500 volumes — to the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts (www.WMODA.com) in Hollywood, Florida. It’s empowering to lighten the load and ensure my legacy lives on to inspire future generations.
More to come…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ArtDecoPB.org, www.BySharon.com, www.ArtintheAlley.org
- Instagram: artdecopalmbeach
- Linkedin: @Sharon Koskoff
- Facebook: BySharon Koskoff
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC627yKy-KUfy58IJ2bQDpAg
Image Credits
Sharon Koskoff photographed all images.
