People: Respiratory therapist Sharon Broadnax is also a gifted illustrator.
“My Art Allows Me To Touch The Child In Me”
 As a neonatal pediatric specialist, Sharon Broadnax, a respiratory therapist, is devoted to the care of children. “The babies I work with are sick, but I can always get a smile out of them,” she says. “I try to touch them by being funny or with my own smile.”
Broadnax, who works at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, is also a gifted illustrator. Her specialty is children’s art. Much of her work is fantastic and colorful, depicting dreamlike or playful scenes. “My art allows me to touch the child in me,” she says. “I started drawing when I was very young. It was a way to let my imagination go wild. I went to college, but never pursued art. It wasn’t until 9/11 that I realized life is short, so I went back to art school. I took some courses in graphic design and painting and got my degree.” Broadnax says her work as a respiratory therapist definitely influences her art. “I see things that make up stories all the time. And I try to capture it in my drawings,” she says. “My art also gives me a safe place where I can be happy because the world can be harsh and we all need that place.”
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