Shelby Keefe Pictured at Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational, having won the Distinctive Merit Award this past October, 2016. Keefe will be featured at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center from Feb. 10 to March 19. (Submitted photo)
Whitewater native Shelby Keefe, a nationally-known artist, will be the featured artist at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center.
The center will feature Keefe from Friday, Feb. 10 to Sunday, March 19. Keefe’s show “On the Road Again” will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during that period from noon until 5 p.m.
Keefe paints in a bold brush, realistic style uniquely her own. Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she earned a BFA in 1981 then embarked upon a career as a graphic designer. She became a full-time fine artist in 2005 and now travels around the country painting in plein air competitions, teaching workshops, and producing work in her Milwaukee studio.
Her style is becoming noticed nationally, having been recently published in “Southwest Art” and “Plein Air Magazine,” both of which had her as the cover artist. She received the Best of Show at “En Plein Air Texas” recently, and receivied other top awards in the past few years.
Keefe is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society, American Women Artists and an associate member of Oil Painters of America. Her gallery representations are Timothy Cobb Fine Art in Milwaukee, Oh-Be-Joyful Gallery in Crested Butte and Telluride, Colo. and Castle Gallery of Fine Art in Fort Wayne, Ind.
“I am passionate about drawing and depicting my subjects with honesty as well as expressiveness. My goal is to create a fresh perspective to the recognizable world without being predictable or mundane,” Keefe said. “Being comfortable at rendering in oil paint, I enjoy tackling complex subjects from cityscapes to the figure in the ala prima method of wet on wet. Utilizing a vibrant underpainting technique of complimentary colors, my oil paintings are complex, but not overly-worked. As I continue to grow as a representationalist painter, I plan to develop my ability to say more with less.”
An opening reception at the center to visit with Keefe will be free and open to the public on Feb. 11 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
On Feb. 12 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the center, Keefe will demonstrate her painting technique for a registration fee of $20 for Whitewater Arts Alliance members and $25 for non-members. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the alliance. The gallery will be closed during the event.
Registrations may be forwarded with payment to the Whitewater Arts Alliance, P.O. Box 311, Whitewater WI 53190. Registrants should include the names of all who are registering and a phone or email where they can be reached for confirmation of registration. Seating is limited, and registrations can be paid at the door if seating is still available.
“We are so delighted that Shelby Keefe is returning to her roots to exhibit her latest work. Shelby is a national artist, and this is a wonderful opportunity for the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center and our community,” said Linda Long, president of the Whitewater Arts Alliance. “2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the Whitewater Arts Alliance at the Cultural Arts Center, and I cannot think of a better exhibit to kick off the year.”
The daughter of Charles and Shirley Scharine, Keefe was born in Whitewater in 1958. She earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in 1981 from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. After graduating, she had a 26-year career in graphic design, but left the career to become a full-time fine artist. She now travels and paints all over the country participating in Plein Air Painting Competitions and teaching workshops.
More information and photos of Keefe’s work can be found at www.studioshelby.com.
The Cultural Arts Center is located on 402 West Main Street in the White Building near the Birge Fountain. Parking is behind the building. An elevator is available for access from the parking lot entrance.