Dog House Studios

 

About the Artist

I have always had a deep appreciation for the visual arts, my wish has always been to be able to produce things pleasing to the eye, regardless of the medium.

I learned to sew in school, taught myself to knit, embroider and crochet. Being left handed, I found that I had to be, for the most part, self taught and flexible. In my early twenties, I had the opportunity to learn to spin wool and nature dying, thus producing socks and sweaters and some introductory weaving. During the time that my children were young, I often made those special dresses for my daughter, many times designing my own patterns or changing patterns to suit the need. Also managed to find time to do some crewel embroidery. In the eighties, I learned stain glass producing several lamps. After moving and no longer having space for glass work and it seemed my time was taken up with working and raising my family. That artistic voice lay dormant for several years.

In 1999, I decided that I would like to try my hand at painting. I enrolled in a night class in watercolor offered by Red Deer College, taught by Susan Woolgar. I found I really enjoyed watercolor. After the initial night class, I had the opportunity to paint at the teachers studio, one afternoon a week, which I'm still doing.

I joined the Ponoka art club, and the ACACA. About this time I started taking workshops to increase my knowledge and confidence in my work. Workshops and RDC Series classes have been my only formal education in art. Some of the workshops I have attended were given by the following artists Lian Quan Zhen, Jan Kunz, Grant Fuller, Marilyn Timms, and Robert Genn. Series classes, one in watercolor given by Jim Wipinski, a drawing class given by Jason Frizzell, oil with Dale Hirschenmen, still life with Robert Nicols and a University of Alberta Extension, watercolor III course given by Jerry Heine. I'm presently under the tutaledge of Gene Prokop at Pro's Art School in Edmonton.

My great love of the outdoors and wildlife, over the years has led me to be involved in camping, hunting and fishing. A seventeen year involvement with the sport of purebred dogs, and gardening. I have always wanted to be able to capture my scenic adventures, animals, flowers and grandchildren in some artistic medium. Which I’m attempting to do now that I’m recently retired.

In the 7 years of my ACACA membership I have had seven paintings receive the illusive "Blue Dot" in the Central Zone. My dream is to have a piece deemed favorable to be juried into the Provincial show. 2006 has truely been a break through year, I won the Intermediate award at the Central zone show and the Hildur Sherbeck award at the Provincal show.

Today I’m a member of the Lacombe Art Club, Red Deer & District Allied Arts Council,and the ACACA. My Paintings have been juried into the Celebration of the Arts show,held in Red Deer,the Lacombe Art Show and sale for the last six years and the 2005 Red Deer & Districts Allied Arts Council's Annual "Members Only" show, have hung in the Lacombe Public Library. Painted panel 202 for a Mural Mosaic project called Earth's Treasure Chest, can be view at www.muralmosaic.com and at the ACACA Province Wide show held at the Red Deer and District Museum. In 2007 was juried in to the 20th Annual Art of Nature Show, titled of the Show was "Water: Source of Life.

A member of the Portrait Society of Canada www.portraitsocietyofcanada.com See my latest work now on my new site: FineArtStudioOnline.com/ShirleyFlinn

Shirley Flinn

5320 49th Ave
Lacombe, AB.
T4L 1S6