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Lynnette Shelly
Ambler, PA
Mixed Media

What are you currently working on? 
I am working on contemporary mixed-media paintings and drawings of animals, archetypes and mythologies.

Describe your methods.
My favorite medium is ink as well as oil pastels. I like to work on various surfaces, including paper, art boards and wood panels. I often do research on a subject or a story before beginning my work so I can incorporate some of this knowledge into the piece.

What have you been up to most recently? 
I have been busy with various shows in galleries or at art fairs for the past year, including the juried "Art of the State" show at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg (on display through September 8). I average over 25 shows every year, so I'm constantly working on new art and gearing up for another show.

What's next up for you?
I am currently involved in a deal with another artist -- she is launching a new gallery in the Pennsylvania area. She will own the gallery but I'll be helping her run things, as well as curating some of the shows and having some of my work in the gallery. Hopefully, if everything goes well, the gallery will be up and running by August sometime. 

What inspires you? 
I am inspired by mythology, folktales, zoology, nature, archetypes, shapes and symbols, and old lore.

Why do you make art? 
I am deeply driven to create. I would go stir crazy if I did not.

What do you hope people get out of your work? 
I hope that, beyond liking the colors or the images, that the piece strikes them on some visceral level -- that even if they don't understand why exactly, they are psychologically connected to the artwork on some level. I hope the art has a connection to the viewer beyond just wanting something cool to hang over his or her couch. This is a tall order, I know, but it's something I strive for. 

I had a very nice feeling the other day when I put up an art show in a public space, and someone came up to me afterwards and told me that he loved the work. He said that he was not really into art, and had never paid attention to it very much, but my work just caught his eye and he really felt moved by it. That was probably one of the nicest compliments I've received about my work. Things like that make all the effort worthwhile.

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