Shelby Shadwell

What have you been working on recently?
When I got the award, I was in the middle of a series of large-scale drawings called “Big Coal.” By making these drawings of a humble material and elevating it to a higher status, people look at it differently. It occupies a really interesting space between those polarities, where hopefully some conversations can happen. I’ve had people look at the coal work and say, “Wow, finally, somebody’s supporting coal.” And I’ve had others look at them and say, “Thank you for drawing more attention to the disasters of fossil fuels.” It’s almost a Rorschach test for the viewer.

I’ve also been doing drawings of space blankets, and I’ve continued that series under this award. Wyoming is a very outdoorsy place with lots of tourism, camping, hiking, things like that. Everyone seems to have one of those mylar emergency blankets. And doesn’t it feel like we’re in an emergency situation right now, with the climate and democracy and all these things? And wouldn’t it be nice to have an emergency blanket? Formally, it’s an amazing material to draw because the way the folds reflect the light really transcends its outer nature; it just becomes metal.

Did you explore any new areas with your Stone & DeGuire Award?
With this award, I was able to start a painting practice — something that’s totally new to me. I never had any formal instruction in painting, so I took a class from one of my colleagues. Now I’m making large-scale paintings in a similar vein to my drawings.

Opening up my practice has been really exciting. I’m going all out on color, I’m not skimping at all, which is an interesting contrast to what I was doing. I’ve been really drawn to fluorescent, saturated colors: violets and pinks and magentas. The processes and techniques are all new and exciting — I feel like I’m eating something delicious for the first time.

You’re also a dedicated educator.
I’ve been an educator since I got out of graduate school — I’m a professor at the University of Wyoming. Taking an academic route has afforded me the opportunity to exhibit across the nation. It’s a wonderful, wonderful path that I’ve taken to get where I am.

One reason I went into teaching was because of the type of student I was. Teaching is now a method of time travel, where I talk to students almost as if I’m talking to myself. When I see students scoffing at works that my younger self would have scoffed at, I get to have those conversations with them and try to help them open up.

If a student takes a class with you, what do you hope they walk away with?
More than any skills or knowledge I could impart to my students, I hope they get that sense of excitement, awe, and wonder with art. That’s what my professors gave me. Ideally the excitement will motivate them — and if you have motivation, good things happen.

What stands out about your time at WashU?
My professors at WashU really, really tried to reach me and get me to open up, even though I was very standoffish back then. They did their darndest. Eventually, they got me inspired and excited about art. Over time, those lessons, those seeds, really sunk in and have made me a better professor and artist. I wanted to take that excitement I felt and share it with others — and that’s what’s happened in my career.

How has the Stone & DeGuire Award been most helpful?
It’s been tremendously helpful in investing in my practice. These paintings would not be here without this award. It also helped fund my engagement with 15 exhibitions in about as many months. I got to do my first real solo show in New York. I had a solo show in Santa Fe, and another coming up next spring. I’ve recently been invited, out of the blue, to the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington’s biennial exhibition because they were interested in the coal work.

I have no doubt that the Stone & DeGuire Award has helped me secure some of these other exhibitions, research funding, and other support. The ripples of this will show up throughout the rest of my career. The award has also made me think a lot about what I can do to support other artists at this stage in their career. Passing along some of this support in a future generation or two would be so exciting.