Meet Shelley
Hi, I’m Shelley
I live in Cold Lake, Alberta on a beautiful little farm tucked away in Canada’s boreal forest with my husband Brad. Our two daughters are all grown now and our golden retriever Duke, three horses and two cats keep the empty nest feeling not quite so empty.
From the time that I was a young child, I knew in my heart that I wanted art and creativity to always be a part of my life’s journey. I always dreamt of going to art college, so when the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance. At the time I was 24, and a young military wife. My husband was posted to CFB Comox, to fly jets. So while he took to the skies, I studied Fine Art and Graphic Design at North Island College in the beautiful Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island.
My journey as a military spouse took me to six different postings in 20 years. As a stay at home mom, I raised my two little girls and I continued to paint and loved doing commissioned work. Later, when they were a bit older I worked as a Graphic Designer. Eventually, as my girls grew up and my busy family life settled, I returned to my love of painting.
My studio is now nestled amongst majestic old pines, spruce and rolling pasture land. The peace and tranquillity of this place that I call home, soothes my soul and feeds my creativity.
Shelley
“When you stand in the stillness of nature…you can’t help but fall utterly in love.”
Painting nature expresses my soul…I paint what I love and care about. Painting what I see when I’m out in the garden or out on the trail is so rewarding. I spend hours watching birds at my feeders or bees buzzing from flower to flower. I love nothing more than painting in the outdoors. It’s pure tranquillity.
The Studio Story
Shelley Williamson Artistry all started with a promise that I made to myself over twenty years ago.
I was a young mom with a busy mom life. I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and raise my two sweet girls the best that I knew how. My husband Brad was in the Air Force and he was away a lot. I made the choice to take my artistic career down a different path of Crayola crayons, finger paint, music lessons and dance classes. It was a beautiful parenting journey and now my daughters have left the nest and this is where I'm making good on that promise I made to myself.
I have always been a creative, I am quite certain was born to be a creative. I followed my dreams and went to Art College, and later I explored the creative path of working as a graphic designer. I was the Design Director at our local dance studio for 10 years, and I was also a Board Member of the Cold Lake Visual Art Society for 4 years. The arts have been an integral part of my life.
All these steps have led me to where I am today. I have a vision of how I want to curate my creative life. I'm building my art practice one step at a time. My passion is to paint and I have a desire to create beautiful paintings and share them boldly out in the world.
I want to teach and inspire those who feel that pull to be a creative but don't know where to start. I want to teach them the joys of creativity through painting. I want to nurture them and be the safe and fun place to explore their creativity.
I have been taking steps to be more intentional in my artist practice. I'm making decisions on how I can live the life of a full time artist. I'm getting there one step at a time. Like my mentor Emily Jeffords taught me, Progress is quiet and slow. Do 1% better everyday.
My Inspiration
The inspiration for my paintings stems from my love of bird watching, gardening, and nature. I purposely chose to live in the middle of a forested area surrounded by rolling pastures and majestic trees. I dreamt of this place since I was a teenager, dreams do come true….
Everywhere I look I find the inspiration to my next painting. It might be the morning sun shining through the fog, or the bee sleeping in the peony flower. I have beautiful trails and fields to explore right outside my doorstep. It’s truly blissful and brings me so much joy in exploring and then painting what catches my eye. Nature is the greatest nourishment to my creativity.
My paintings are an expression of my experiences and my curiosity of my subjects. I paint to capture those precious moments when I feel a connection to nature that I want to remember and share with my collectors.
I share my paintings with you in hopes that you feel that connection too and that it resonates with you. It brings me joy to share my work with you and enrich the beauty in your life. Because you deserve beautiful art that makes you happy and joyful.
The paintings that I create reflect who I am, what I have experienced and what I love most. My hope is that my paintings have an emotional connection with you. If a painting tugs on your heart, it is meant especially for you. It can speak to your soul and bring you joy, comfort and beauty into your life. To have my work chosen for your home is truly an honour. My wish is that my painting will always fill your heart and soul with joy and comfort.
I invite you to follow my journey.
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“Art is a reflection of who you are and your experiences”
Credentials
Active member of CARFAC Alberta
I have always been an active volunteer in my community, supporting and promoting our local Arts.
I have participated in many local art shows and my work is in several private collections in Canada and the United States.