Shelby's Biography

Impressionist Oil Painter

I am influenced by Impressionism and the brighter Fauvist palette and generally specialize in urban architectural subjects. I use my own photographs as reference as well as painting “en plein air”. My creative intentions are to put the viewer in the scene; transporting them to the location and transforming their mood through color and composition. I'm attracted to scenes where the subjects are dramatically lit, which adds a vibrancy and a sense of immediacy to the paintings. I like to apply the oils freely and liberally over brilliant acrylic underpaintings, creating a juxtaposition of contrasting colors that vibrate and illicit emotional engagement as well as excite the eye. I believe that a work of art has a longer lasting, "multi-generational wall life" when the viewer continually finds something new in the work, and the paint, itself, is allowed to do the “talking.”

Shelby Keefe is a contemporary impressionistic painter, teacher and performance artist. Born in Whitewater, WI in 1958, she graduated in 1981 with a BFA from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI.  After retiring from a career in graphic design in 2005, she operates her own art studio and exhibition space in Bay View, on the south side of Milwaukee. Her award-winning urban landscape paintings have earned her participation in prestigious national juried shows, plein air painting competitions, and arts festivals as well as garnering commission work for a variety of corporate clients and private collectors. Her oil paintings are found in collections such as The Bradley Foundation, Acuity, Northwestern Mutual, Ozaukee Country Club; WE Energies; University School of Milwaukee; and other businesses around Milwaukee, and in private collections in Wisconsin and around the country.

Shelby Keefe Biography 1990-2010 PDF
LinkedIn with Shelby Keefe

Education

B.F.A. Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI 1981

Commissions and Collections

November 2010; 2 large-scale cityscapes, Hide House Lofts, Milwaukee, WI
August 2010; 1 large-scale painting; University School of Milwaukee, WI;
May-October 2008 paintings of various subjects to be completed for Northwestern Mutual’s new offices, Oak Creek WI
January 2006 1 large-scale painting, Besty Brenner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Publisher
September 2005 6 paintings, Foley & Lardner Law Offices, Milwaukee, WI
August 2004 4 paintings, Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee, WI
July 2003 2 paintings, Tripoli Country Club, Milwaukee, WI
May 2003 19 paintings, Ozaukee Country Club on Ozaukee county themes; Mequon, WI
April 2003 2 large-scale paintings, Radisson Hotel, (Mayfair); Milwaukee, WI
July 2002 4 paintings, McNally, Maloney & Peterson; Milwaukee, WI
January 2002 3 paintings, Professional Dimensions’ Sacagawea Award honoring pioneering women; Milwaukee, WI
January 2001 3 paintings, Bradley Foundation; Milwaukee, WI
December 2000 1 painting of Johnston Hall, Marquette University; Private Collector; Milwaukee, WI

Awards & Honors (selected)

July 2010; Featured Artist for “Plein Air Easton!” National Juried Plein Air Painting Competition, Easton, MD
June 2010; Poster Artist, Lakefront Festival of Arts, Milwaukee, WI
April-May 2010; Featured Artist, Channel 10 Great TV Auction, Milwaukee, WI
July 2008, Featured Artist for “Plein Air Festival, Door County”;
Third Place People’s Choice Award, Fish Creek, WI
July 2007 Visitor’s Choice Award for “Twilight in Chinatown”;
FORWARD: Survey of Wisconsin Art; Charles Allis Art Museum; Milwaukee, WI
February 2007 Mary L. Nohl Fund Suitcase Award Winner
July 2006 Commemorative Poster Artist for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival; Denver, CO
NOTE: poster received national recognition with a Bronze award
June 2006 Artist Award Winner, Lakefront Festival of Arts, Milwaukee, WI
February 2005 Honorable Mention, “Eight Counties” John Michael Kohler Arts Center; Sheboygan, WI
January 2002 Official Award Artist, Professional Dimensions’ Sacagawea Award; Milwaukee, WI
June 2001 Best of Show, 1st Annual “Cedarburg Plein Air Painting Competition” Cedarburg Cultural Center; Cedarburg, WI;
Best of Show, Gallery 218; Milwaukee, WI 

Exhibitions/Shows (selected)

August-September 2010 Solo Show; Boerner Botanical Gardens, Milwaukee, WI
November 2009 Eastern Regional Oil Painters of America Exhibition; Corse Gallery, Jacksonville, FL (juried)
April 2009 Solo Show; Community Arts Center, Whitewater, WI
February-April 2009 Featured Artist; Alumni Exhibition; Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI
October 2007 Featured Artist; The L2 Gallery, Seaside, FL
September–November 2007 “Door County Treasures”; Group Show, Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Door County, WI
May–July 2007 “FORWARD: A Survey of Wisconsin Art Now”; Group show, Charles Allis Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI (juried)
February–March 2007 Solo Show, Marian Gallery, Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI
February 2007 “Coconut Grove Arts Festival”; Miami, FL (juried art festival)
December 2006 “One of a Kind” Show; Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL (juried art festival)
July 2007, 2006 “Cherry Creek Arts Festival”; Denver, CO (juried art festival)
October 2006 “Cityscapes” Group show, CR Davidson Art Gallery; Milwaukee, WI
March 2006 Featured Artist; Marquette & Ventana Gallery; Cincinnati, OH
June 2010-2004, 2002, 2000, 1997 “Lakefront Festival of Arts”; Milwaukee, WI (juried art festival)
February–April 2005 “Eight Counties” John Michael Kohler Arts Center; Sheboygan, WI (juried)
February–April 2004 Group Show, “Roe Sham Boe” 3 person; ARTPOST, Grafton, WI
January–March 2002 Solo Show, Leinhouts Gallery, First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, WI
June 2001 Group show, Gallery 218; Milwaukee, WI (juried)
August–November 2000 Group show, Studio San Damiano Art Gallery; Milwaukee, WI

Teaching

February 2003 to present painting workshops/classes for adults in- studio and plein air; Bay View, WI (ongoing)
August 2006, 2007, May 2008 Peninsula Art School, Door County WI; 3- day painting workshops

Affiliations/Gallery Representation

Associate Member, Oil Painters of America
Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Door County, WI  (EdgewoodOrchardGalleries.com)
Jack Arnold Fine Art, Rio Rancho, NM (jarnoldfineart.com)
The L2 Gallery, Seaside, FL  (theL2Gallery.com)
Grafton Galleries, Easton, MD

Community Involvement

Board of Directors; Charles Allis, Villa Terrace
Past Board of Directors; Rennaisance TheaterWorks
1998 to present “Performance Painting” for fundraising events for various nonprofit organizations and schools; (paintings are executed during the event and auctioned off with proceeds to benefit the organization)
November 2002-2007, 2010 "Open Canvas" MIAD/Eisner Museum Silent Auction Fundraiser; Milwaukee, WI
September 2003 Bay View Arts Tour Coordinator; Milwaukee, WI