Shelly’s lifelong connection to the Southwest and its equine culture began early, drawing horses as soon as she could hold a pencil. Though her subject matter varies, the horse remains a central muse in her work.
Shelly studied art at Scottsdale Community College, but credits much of her artistic foundation to her time working as an artist under art director Dick Axtell.
Her professional journey also includes designing picture frame moulding and traveling to Treviso, Italy; Jakarta, Indonesia; and London/Swindon, UK, for design projects. While in Italy, she worked on clay sculpting and production finishes, creating product designs for the global market.
In 1996, Shelly transitioned into scenic painting for film and commercial sets in Los Angeles, including work on a Super Bowl Pepsi commercial and multiple music videos.
Further refining her skills in large-scale, figurative painting.
Shelly’s work has been featured in publications including Western Art Collector’s June 2023 edition.
Her exhibitions include shows in Chicago, Los Angeles, Sedona & Scottdale.
Shelly now resides in Fountain Hills Arizona, painting and teaching workshops such as Anatomy of the Horse, Finding your Style, Introduction to Oil and Essence of the Animal.
