Artist Bio - Shelly Shaffer - (SHAFFER GALLERY at TLAQUEPAQUE)

SHAFFER

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Shelly Shaffer Artist Autobiography

Having graduated from Otis Parsons Art Institute in Los Angeles California with a degree in Illustration, I went on to work as a Freelance Illustrator for a variety of companies and ad agencies. Establishing my own distinct style in illustration, and in the process I won a Maggie Award from the city of Los Angeles for Best Illustration. At the same time I was instructing at the very young age of 22 for Cal State Los Angles University.

After a very busy time with my career, I experienced a strong desire to change my direction. I was drawn to the Fine Art aspect of the industry and pulling further away from the Editorial Commercial Field. I wanted to combine my illustration techniques with the joy of painting.

To support that change I made the move to Sedona to be in the southwest, surrounded by New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico, all the rich cultures of the area.  Like so many other incredible southwest painters that captured the color and the beauty of the land, I chose to paint the people and the Missions of the Spanish and the history of the Native Americans with their celebration of living their lives with daily work and prayer. I have created a style of bringing the waters of California and the deserts of the Southwest to create a world to tell you a story.

My art has been and is in some of the finest galleries of the Southwest;