artist statement
I am inspired by the natural world. I love to caapture all the beauty in the florals, working with the abstract shapes of the flower centers and the petals. The lighting and transparency of the flowers is always an artistic challenge for me. After dealing with the arduous and stressful time related to the pandemic, individuals are re-establishing relationships with others and nature. Flowers have long been symbols of energy and hope of this engagement and reinvigoration.
Biography
Deborah Shea received a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Design at the University of CA at Davis.
She studied with Wayne Theibaud, Roland Petersen and Frances Butler.
She attended classes at the San Francisco Art Institute.
She has also studied watercolors and botanical drawing and oil painting.
She is currently a candidate for MFA from the Academy of Art in San Francisco.
DEBORAH SHEA/CV
EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
Fine Artist, Pastels and Oils
Deborah Shea Studios, March 2017 to present.
Studio at ArtBias, San Carlos, CA
Exhibits 2024
July, Danville Village Gallery, Juried show, Botanica
Summer/Fall Art&Color 365 Special Merit in Drawing Competition, "Lushlife"
May ArtBias Solo Exhibit, Space to Bloom
Exhibits 2023
Dec, 25th Annual Pastel 100 Competition Pastel Journal, Honorable Mention, "Hey Sunshine"
Nov, Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod Members Open Exhibit Honorable Mention, "Hey Sunshine"
Oct, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PASTEL SOCIETIES 43rd Open Division, "Hey Sunshine"
Oct, Piedmont Pastel Society Online Show, PSCC Award, "First Flower"
Sept, 2023 Art&Color365 Drawing Competition Winner's Tier, for "First Flower"
June, 2023 Art&Color365 Special Merit in Pastels Competition, "Sway"
July-August, Society of West Coast Artists, First Place Pastel, 73rd Annual Exhibition of Art,"Hey Sunshine"
July, Honorable Mention, Dakota Pastel Quarterly online competition
ChanZuckerberg initiative for San Mateo County. Exhibit at the Meta Building in Redwood City, CA
March-April, Society of West Coast Artists Juried Member Exhibit, “Girl About Town”, 2nd Place, CA
Jan-March, Society of West Coast Artists Juried Member Exhibit, “Orange Twist”, 2nd Place, CA
Jan Pastel Society of the West Coast, Juried Member Exhibit, “Sway”, CA
Exhibits 2022
Nov-Dec, The Forum, Solo Exhibition, Cupertino, CA
Sept 23 rd, In-person pastel demonstration for the Sequoia Art Group Redwood City, CA
March-May, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, Solo Exhibition, Palo Alto, CA February, Commission for the Peninsula Surgery Center, Patient Waiting Room, “Blue Wonder” and “Heartfelt”, Redwood Shores, CA
Jan-Feb, Society of West Coast Artists Juried Member Exhibit, “Self Portrait”, First Place, CA
Jan 31st, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Juried Member Exhibit, “Blue Wonder”, CA
2021
Dec-Jan, Society of West Coast Artists Juried Member Exhibit, “Magnolia Beauty”, First Place, CA
May 26th -July 18th, Society of West Coast Artists, 71st Annual Exhibition of Art, Mixed Media/Pastel First
Place, “The Girl Who loved Yellow”, San Bruno, CA
May, Juried Student Show, MFA program, Academy of Art, From Above, San Francisco, CA
May 1st -30th, “Super Bloom”, featured show at Viewpoints Gallery, Los Altos, CA
May 1st to October, Commission for the City of Los Altos, “Bears on Main Street”, juried proposal and
execution of two bears, Honey Bear and Poppy Bear, for Los Altos Rotary, CA
Jan 31st, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Juried Member Exhibit, “Fall Riot”, first place, CA
Exhibits 2020
Sept 30th, Pure Color 4th Annual Online International Juried Exhibition of Pastel Paintings, “The Girl Who
Loved Yellow” Pastel Society of North Carolina, NC
Aug 31st, Connecticut Pastel Society, Renaissance in Pastel 27th Annual National Juried Exhibition,
“Remembering You”, CN
August 25th, Valued Strokes 2020 Juried Exhibition, Southwest Florida Pastel Society, “The Girl Who Loved
Yellow”, “Fall Riot”, “Take Your Breath Away”, FL
July 19 th, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Juried Member Exhibit,“The Girl Who Loved Yellow”, CA
June 1st-July, Commission for the City of San Carlos, Chalk design and execution for City steps in
Celebration of LBTG month, San Carlos CA
May 1st to October, Commission for the City of Danville, Hearts on Hartz, juried proposal and execution, Danville CA
March 11-Sept 11, Solo Exhibit, Filoli Historic Home and Gardens Visitors Center, Woodside, CA February, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Juried Member Exhibit, “You & Me Peonies”, CA
Jan-Dec, Featured artist at the Main Gallery, Redwood City (currently in Menlo Park), CA
Exhibits 2019
September, International Pastel Association 35th Juried Exhibit, “Bel Canto”, NY
September 19th, Commission for the San Francisco General Foundation, Heart for fundraising Auction, design and execution in Acrylic, CA
Aug 12-Sept, Society of West Coast Artists, Juried member exhibit, 1st Place,”Fall Riot” San Bruno, CA
July 1 - Aug 31, Sequoia Art Group, Redwood City Library, Redwood City, CA
June 8 - July 31, ADC Fine Art, 2019 Blink Artist Showcase, Cincinnati, OH
June 5-Aug 4, SWA’s 69th Annual Exhibition of Art, “Remembering You”, San Bruno, CA
May 16-- July 14, Pastels USA: 33rd Annual International Open Exhibition, Juried, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA
May 4 & 5, Silicon Valley Open Studios @ Art Bias, San Carlos, CA
May 1-June1, Tartine Cafe Solo Exhibit, Redwood City, CA
March 4-April 30, The 15th Annual San Mateo County Women’s View, Community Galleries, Redwood City, CA
March 13-April 12, Society of West-Coast Artists, Second Place Ribbon, “Spring Tulip”, San Bruno, CA
January 9-Feb 23, Society of West Coast Artists, First Place Ribbon, San Bruno, CA
Exhibits 2018
Dec, Silicon Valley Holiday Open Studios @ Art Bias, San Carlos, CA
Nov-Dec, Society of West Coast Artists, Juried, San Bruno, CA
Sept.-Dec, One Life Counseling Center, Solo Exhibit, Artist in Residence, CA
PUBICATIONS
Sept 2023 Winner's Tier, Art&Color365 Drawing Competition for First Flower
June 2023, Art & Color 365 Special Merit in Pastels Competition, Sway
April, May, June 2022, Uppercase Magazine, Featured “Super Bloom”
April,2022, Punch Magazine, Featured in article, “A Bias for Art”
Jul/Aug, 2020, California Homes Magazine, Calendar/Gardens
EDUCATION
2021, MFA Candidate Academy of Art, San Francisco, CA University of California, Davis Bachelor of Arts, Art Studio and Design, Graduated with honors
Winner of 2 scholarships to study Art Studio
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Viewpoints Gallery, President Jan 2022 to present, ArtBias Board Member Marketing Chair Sep 2017-March 2019 (Formally The Art Center of Redwood City and San Carlos) Re-branding with new name, new logo, signage, advertisements, etc
Teaching, workshops and demostrations
Filoli
Art Walk July 29th and 30th, 2023
Breathtaking Blooms, Workshop March 14, 2020
Roses in Pastel, Workshop June 15 2019
Society of West Coast Artists and Sequoia Art Group
Pastel Demostrations
Private Lessons
Ongoing for adults, Wednesdays 10-12:30 at Art Bias Studios