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."
Friday, August 30, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
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
Friday, August 9, 2013
at Tsoms Vegetarian Flavor, Tempe AZ
Me in front of "Three Heads" at Tsom's Vegetarian Flavor in Tempe AZ
Monday, August 5, 2013
Bipolar Clowns
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| Sumo Clown, 4X4, Acrylic on board |
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| 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
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| Beauty Queen 3, Acrylic on board, 8X4 |
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| Beauty Queen1, Acrylic on board, 8X4 |
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| 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
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| Spirit 2, Acrylic on board, 8X4 |
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| 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
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| Spirit Baby 3, Acrylic on board, 4X6 |
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| Spirit Baby 2, Acrylic on board, 4X6 |
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| 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.
Lynn Trimbles blog entries about me
photograph she took of me for "Bipolar clowns and Spirit Babies" article
Lynn Trimble has written two lovely and informative articles about me.
Lynn Trimble wrote about my "Bipolar Clowns and Spirit Babies" show
http://69.195.124.66/~artmusin/2013/08/01/artist-shows-manic-and-spiritual-side/
She also wrote about my "Manic" show back in Februrary
http://stagemommusings.com/tag/shelley-whiting/
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