Melissa Shanley

Artist Statement

The fiber sculptures are composed of felted wool and found objects such as miniature drift wood, antique pottery shards, quail egg shells and shed cat whiskers. Some works are serene and bring the viewer to consider-- close-up-- the details of every day life which are often not noticed. Some works bring the viewer to a sense of nature and the oddities of the forms it produces. Some works are simply whimsical. My series of "nests" have explored these things, in recent years.

Since I saw a charcoal drawing years ago by Georgia O'Keeffe in which she drew only three undulating, vertical lines with exquisite simplicity and sensuality, I have been drawn to the beauty and variety of lines. Some of my nest artworks also bring the viewer to explore the concept of "line". A few of the nests are overly simple so that the audience can't help but pay attention to the simple curve- or line- created by a single shed rooster feather, for example.

I encourage you to come and see the various worlds created within these works of art. Most can be viewed at my website: http//melissashanley.com.

Works have also been shown at the C Gallery during the last two years. http://www.thecgallery.com "Sea Nest" (pictured) was discussed in the Santa Maria Sun's review and article about the October 2010 show at the C Gallery in Los Alamos. That review can be viewed at: http://www.santamariasun.com/art/3230/big-minds-think-small/