Portrait of a Couple

An attorney asked me to paint him and his partner. It was a learning and fun experience.

Vanity on Mill Hair Gallery in Tempe, Arizona

My picture Giant among Little Peoples 38X46 at Vanity on Mill Hair Gallery in Tempe, Arizona

Future show January 2014 at the Trunk Space

Here is a press release for an upcoming show  INTERNATIONAL STUCKISTS: EXPLORERS AND INVENTORS at the Trunk Space next year
http://remodernreview.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/exhibition-announcement-international-stuckists-explorers-and-inventors/

The Prime Targets, 4X4, Acrylic on board

a picture in the series about my obssessive compulsive disorder

Pictures I showed at Obliq a couple months ago

Birth, 4X4, Acrylic on board

These are pictures I showed at Obliq in May. They were inspired by aboriginal art.

Discovery, 4X4, Acrylic on board

The mind goes through many stages, 4X4, Acrylic on board

Part of the OCD series

Thoughts I don't Want, Thoughts I dont Need 4X4, Acrylic on board

A picture in my series about my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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Red Dot Fever, Triptych, Acrylic on board 4X12



This is a picture I had at my "Manic" show in January at Skyline Lofts in Phoenix, Arizona

Human Octopus, 4X6, Acrylic on board

Here is a picture I did back in February. It was in the March Hive show.

"Solotude is the time when you're alone with your thoughts", 4X4, Acrylic on board

This picture is number two in a series about my obsessive compulsive disorder.

One Coffee Company, Phoenix AZ

Exploring New Dimensions series at One Coffee Company

Exploring New Dimensions series at One Coffee Company

"The thoughts within are the ones that hurt the most" 4X4, Acrylic on board

"The thoughts within the are the ones that hurt the most," Acrylic on board, 4X4

   Two years and a half ago I realized I had OCD, also known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. People say "thoughts are just thoughts." But OCD
proves that thoughts can be lethal and can twist in your brain. These past two years and a half have been a nightmarish carnival ride.
   In this series I will paint ghoulish like baby figures with cryptic phrases that describe the feelings and mood of OCD. I hope to express a truthful and horrific display of OCD.

Goings Galleria, Phoenix AZ November First Friday

Me by "Grandfather Sky" 48X48, Acrylic on board



Fellow artist Debby and Me by pictures of mine

Spirituality series



Spirituality Series

   Spirituality is universal to all people and races. I started out the series with a God-like figure in a fantastic and awe-inspiring world of wavy lines, psychedelic swirls, stars, circles and clouds. Towards the end of the series a minimalistic background felt more relevant. The figure became more human, and the paintings were more about introspective devoutness. I found that spirituality is about reflecting on the vast roles and perceptions we carry in our existence.

Grandfather Sky

Man Embracing Universe

Quiet Interlude

Stalwart Man

Man Embracing Universe, 6X4, Acrylic on board

Westgate exhibit Fox 10 News

Click on the link to watch the clip
PSA Art Awakenings Exhibit

My work and other artist from PSA Art Awakenings group are on the news at Channel 10

Arizona Republic online segment about Westgate Gallery Show

My art is in the Arizona Repubilc

Here is my dad showing off my art in the Arizona Republic
My artwork is in the Arizona Republic! The artwork is talking about my art along with other PSA Art Awakenings artist at the gallery at Westgate in Glendale.

Gallery La Melgosa, Phoenix

Here is some of "Presenting the Clowns" at a group show at Gallery La Melgosa in Phoenix
SOLD!

Sochu House, Phoenix

The painting "Birth" 4X4, Acrylic on board



Me at Sochu House, an Asian restaurant in Phoenix with "Moving into Positive Energy" and "Grandmother Shelley"



From left "Pathways" 4X4, Acrylic on board and "Discovery" 4X4

My pictures at Gallery Westgate in Glendale, Arizona

My "Beauty Queen" series and other artists work from the PSA Art Awakenings program

Pathway, 4X4, Acrylic on board

Molly Mormon series

 Molly 1, 4X6, Acrylic on board

 Molly 2, 4X6, Acrylic on board



Molly 3, 4X6, Acrylic on board


For some reason when I thought of Molly Mormons(Mormon slang for the perfecf Mormon girl) I always thought of them being like the Molly dolls of the American Girl dolls that were in the early 1990s. To me Molly Mormons were old fashioned kind of quaint like someone from the past.

My art at "Afidas Hair Culture" in Phoenix, Arizona

The pictures "Mom in Suspended State" and the 4 piece series "Exploring New Dimensions"

A blog review about my show "Bipolar Clowns and Spirit Babies"

http://remodernreview.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/exhibition-bipolar-clowns-and-spirit-babies-paintings-by-shelley-whiting/

Fellow artist Richard Bledsoe wrote a touching and thoughtful review about my show "Bipolar Clowns and Spirit Babies."

Presenting the Clowns, Triptych, Acrylic on Board, 48X144

Wedge and Bottle in Phoenix, Arizona

My interview with Christopher Qi-YueMedia.com

Christopher Qi-yueMedia.com did a wonderful job interviewing me at Warehouse 1005 about my "Bipolar Clowns and Spirit Babies" show

at Tsoms Vegetarian Flavor, Tempe AZ

Me in front of "Three Heads" at Tsom's Vegetarian Flavor in Tempe AZ

Bipolar Clowns

Sumo Clown, 4X4, Acrylic on board

Effect of Achieving Clowndom, Acrylic on board, 4X6

This manic side is shown in some paintings in the form of fashionable clowns. Clowns are both extremely theatrical and over the top. They transform themselves using a sort of enlightened silliness.

Beauty Queen Series



Beauty Queen 3, Acrylic on board, 8X4




Beauty Queen1, Acrylic on board, 8X4



Beauty Queen 2, Acrylic on board, 8X4

Other paintings are inspired by high school homecoming and prom queens. Throughout my whole life I’ve always been the geek. Imagining myself as one of these princesses was a challenging role-reversal. High school royalty to me is a regal artificiality. In these paintings  am making over versions of myself like  paper dolls with different hair styles and dresses. The sugary fun of the princess exploration is contrasted with an agitated background of repetitious swirls.

Heavenly Father seriers

Spirit 2, Acrylic on board, 8X4

Spirit 1, Acrylic on board, 8X4

In these paintings I portray holy old people with lots of little baby figures. The old people collectively represent  Heavenly Father, or God as father of all people. I show him as enlightened old people carrying carefree spirit babies because those are his gift to the world and also his parental responsibility. I have painted earth-like planets in a black-copper, other-worldly atmosphere.

Spirit Baby series all 4X6s

Spirit Baby 3, Acrylic on board, 4X6

Spirit Baby 2, Acrylic on board, 4X6

Spirit Baby 3, Acrylic on board, 4X6

Growing up as a Mormon I was taught that before all people are born on earth we lived in a preexistence and were “spirit children” of God before our physical birth. I always imagined spirit children as babies possessing infinite wisdom like elderly people. The babies in these paintings are like mini-adults wearing oversized glasses to represent their wisdom. I never thought these spirit children would be sad or serious. For me the idea of being in an existence before birth is playful and fun. By portraying spirit babies in a less serious manner I am offering a carefree and lighthearted take on life before birth.