Artist Bio
Shirley grew up in rural South Jersey where she developed an appreciation for the beauty in simple things, a love of nature, and a practical resourcefulness. These earthy values have guided her life-long interest in art, and she has been inspired to see found art in things as diverse as design in urban street cleaning carts and manhole covers to patterns in sand and textures in river stones.
She holds a BS in Art Education from the University of Delaware and has also studied at the University of the Arts, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Fleisher Memorial, all in Philadelphia, PA. Shirley has taught art K-12 in public schools in Pittsburgh, PA and Salem County, NJ.
In her photography she looks for composition, design, and texture that will transform into a piece of art. Her photos emerge from experiences and images that she wants both to preserve and to share with others.
Currently Shirley is also working in pastels and acrylics and is producing limited edition giclees from her paintings. These works reflect the beaches and byways of Cape May County and Ocean City, NJ where she resides, as well as varied and unique subjects from extensive foreign travel experiences.
She has won a variety of awards and honors including the Ocean City Art Center awards for photography, first place in both pastels and photography from the Society of New Jersey Artists, best of the show at the Granite Run Mall, and awards for pastels at the Ocean City Fine Arts League and the Riverfront Renaissance Center of the Arts where she is an Associate Artist member.
Contact Shirley at rshawthorne@gmail.com
