About Shelley Jacobs
I am an abstract expressionist painter and creative educator, living in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, with my husband and two children.
I have been creating since I can remember and involved in the arts community for 40 years, but only began my career as an artist in 2019. In fact, this is my fourth career! (I guess I’m living proof, it’s never too late.)
My studio is located in the centre of my home, a 125-year-old farmhouse, tucked away on a quiet street in a small town in Ontario’s stone fruit and wine country. Nestled between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario and surrounded by green space and farmland, my inspiration is just minutes outside my door.
The natural world grounds me, excites me, and never ceases to amaze me. Painting brings me peace and offers me a chance to reflect on the beauty of our world as I strive to capture and translate its often overlooked intricacies into my work. It is my hope that my paintings bring peace and moments of quiet reflection (with a touch of curiosity and wonder) into your world as well.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Endlessly inspired by the world around her, Shelley’s paintings are a reflection of her experiences as she strives to capture and translate emotions of time and place, recreate a feeling of harmony and calm, and inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity through her work.
With experimentation and exploration as key components of her practice, Shelley paints intuitively relying heavily on her experiences and memories, combined with her imagination—her process is just as important as the final product. Shelley favours rich natural colours, high contrast, and bold lines, and uses layers of intricate marks and textures and a variety of materials and non-traditional methods to communicate her intent.
Shelley’s paintings lie at the boundary of abstract expressionism and representational, often with a touch of whimsy, with elements of the world around us—natural and man-made, macroscopic and microscopic, historical and contemporary—referenced in her work. It is her hope that her paintings connect emotionally with the viewer, fill a void, provide a chance to pause and reflect (maybe a different perspective), and perhaps inspire curiosity and wonder as well.
Shelley’s work is displayed in public galleries and private collections around the world.
Exhibitions / Shows
2023 Art & You Inc Artists Centre, Grimsby, Ontario — Invited Exhibitor
2022 Square Feats Show, Art & You Inc Artists Centre, Grimsby, Ontario — Group Show
2022 Art & You Inc Artists Centre, Grimsby Ontario — Solo Show, WINTER BLUES
2022 Art & You Inc Artists Centre, Grimsby, Ontario — Invited Exhibitor
2021 Art & You Inc. Artists Centre, Grimsby, Ontario — Invited Exhibitor
2019 Fresh Paint Show, Online — Group Show
2003 Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, Hamilton, Ontario — Invited Exhibitor
1995 Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario — Featured Artist, Group Show
ART Fairs / Events
2023 The Fenwick Market, Fenwick, Ontario
2023 Pelham Art Festival, Pelham, Ontario
2022 Grimsby Arts Walk, Grimsby, Ontario (Accepted, but did not attend due to illness)
2022 Dundas Art in the Park, Dundas, Ontario (Accepted, but did not attend due to illness)
2022 Port Dover Art Fair, Port Dover, Ontario (Accepted, but did not attend due to illness)
2022 Oakville Art in the Park, Oakville, Ontario (Accepted, but did not attend due to illness)
2022 Artistry by the Lake, NOTL, Ontario
2022 The Fenwick Market, Fenwick, Ontario
2022 Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas, Ontario — Annual Auction
2004 Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas, Ontario — Annual Auction
2003 Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas, Ontario — Annual Auction
1997 Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas, Ontario — Annual Auction
1996 Dundas Valley School of Art, Dundas, Ontario — Annual Auction
CORPORATE Commissions / MEDICAL Illustrations
2017 Medmastery, Austria
2015 Food Allergy Canada
2014 DeLI, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
2013 J2D Publishing, Hamilton, Ontario
2009 Dr. Laurie Doering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
2003 Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, Hamilton, Ontario
2000 Dr. R.M.K.W Lee, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
1999 Medical Acupuncture Program, Hamilton, Ontario
1997 West Town Bar & Grill, Hamilton, Ontario
Teaching Experience
2006 St. Joseph’s Hospital (Psychiatric Ward Art Program Lead), Hamilton, Ontario
2006 McMaster Hospital (Children’s Ward Art Program Lead), Hamilton, Ontario
2005 McMaster Hospital (Psychiatric Ward Art Program Lead), Hamilton, Ontario
2004 McMaster Hospital (Psychiatric Ward Art Program Lead), Hamilton, Ontario
1995 Dundas Valley School of Art (Classroom Aide), Dundas, Ontario
1994 Dundas Valley School of Art (Classroom Aide), Dundas, Ontario
