Maltese Princess
By Shelby Keefe
24 x 20 in.
Oil on canvas
$6,500
Available through Gallery 1516, Omaha, NE — American Impressionist Society’s 22nd Annual National Juried Exhibition
In a constant quest to find engaging subjects to paint, Shelby’s recent trip to Malta brought her nearly face-to-face with this intimate scene of a mother and daughter amidst a sea of tourists. Without wanting to be overt, she quickly captured these two on her iPhone as she was passing by. The resulting photograph was a chaotic jumble, but Shelby masterfully narrowed down the details focusing on the engaging interaction and into to their private moment. We don’t know what they were celebrating and why the girl sits in a fluff of tulle, but in “Maltese Princess” there is a story to be told about one girl’s special day on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
Contact Gallery 1516, (402) 305-1510, to find out how this emotive painting can be in your collection.
Shelby Keefe: Expressive Realism
Even as a young child, Shelby Keefe knew she was an artist. Coming from a family of artists and crafters in rural Wisconsin, she was encouraged to draw and paint and always had plenty of inspiration for making her artwork. After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1981, she embarked upon a career in graphic design. Moving to Milwaukee for college opened a whole new world for her, and Shelby fell in love with the urban landscape and busy city life.
Even though most of her time was spent as a graphic designer and mother of two boys, she was always passionate about painting and made time to create her work. She gradually gained the attention of enough collectors and was able to retire from graphic design in 2005 to work full-time as a fine artist. A consistent award winner, Shelby has participated in museum shows, top-tiered plein air painting competitions as well as teaching workshops around the country.
Shelby is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society and American Women Artists.
Visit Shelby’s website for a complete collection of works available www.studioshelby.com
Gallery Representation:
Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Fine Line Designs Gallery, Sister Bay, WI
Oh Be Joyful Gallery, Crested Butte, CO
Turquoise Door Gallery, Telluride, CO
