BIO
Kelly Shpeley is a Surrealist artist who currently resides in Nelson B.C. Canada, and practices at Ymir Studio in nearby Ymir BC. They feel fortunate to reside on the land where the unceded territories of the Ktunaxa, Sinixt, Syilx, Secwepemc, Metis, and Dene overlap.
They predominantly are known for their surrealist dreamscape paintings, which are in acrylic and oils. The core themes are dreams, ambiguous feelings, and liminal spaces.
They also do murals and installation pieces.
Key influences are: Hieronymus Bosch, Jean Giroud, Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, and Frida Kahlo.
You can find their work at Broken Hill, Nelson BC, Canada.
Murals:
“Rare Bird” Nelson International Mural Fest 2018
“Improvisational” Charles Bailey Theater, Trail BC 2024
"Serenity" ANKORS WEST, Nelson, BC 2021
Solo Shows:
“Arrow of Time” at Kootenay Gallery 2024
“Step Into My Stories” at Visac Gallery 2018
“Rainbow Kids” Capitol Theater 2018
“Rainbow Kids” Nelson Municipal LIbrary 2019
Group Exhibitions:
Craft Connection Group show 2009
“Robots and Monsters” Ayden Gallery, Group Show, Vancouver 2009 (commercial Gallery)
“Robots and Monsters” Ayden Gallery, Group Show, Vancouver 2012 (commercial Gallery)
“Robots and Monsters” Ayden Gallery, Group Show, Vancouver 2013 (commercial Gallery)
“Robots and Monsters” Ayden Gallery, Group Show Vancouver 2014 (commercial Gallery)
“Robots and Monsters” Ayden Gallery, Group Show 2015
Blue Night 2017
Touchstones Members show 2017
Tiny Lights 2017 Art installation
Kaslo Jazz art Installation 2017
Big Print Project Vancouver International Jazz Festival and TD Canada 2017
Oxygen Art Market 2017
Tiny Lights Music Festival, Arts Installation 2018
Kaslo Jazz Art installation 2018
Oxygen Art Market 2018
Kaslo Jazz Art installation 2019
Cultural Employment Volunteer:
Kootenay Co-op Radio Production 2001-2003
All Souls Night Vancouver 2014 & 2015
Castlegar Sculpture walk Adjudication committee honorarium 2019
Nelson International Mural Festival Adjudication committee 2019
Capitol Theater (James and the Giant Peach set) honorarium, 2019
Touch Stones A Mountain Biking Retrospective 2018
Nelson International Mural Festival 2018
Grants & Awards:
Residency at The Narrows Retreat, Sponsored by Wood Gundy 2017
Grant with Anchors / Outreach Mural 2018
Selected Media and Publications:
“Juxtapoz Arts and Culture Magazine” 2005
“Juxtapoz arts and Culture Magazine” New Years online art competition winner. January 2007
“Art of the Calgary Fan Art Expo” Hardcover Exclusive print, sponsored By CFA 2012 “Printwork Fashion Editorial” 2013
“A Calendar of Tales: January” Written by Neil Gaiman, Sponsored by Blackberry. 2018
“Bandwidth cover” 2018
Teaching:
UBC WKTEP Intensive: Creative Ideation techniques in pedagogy 2018
Oxygen Adult Arts Education Series: Idealand 2019
Selected Professional work:
Theater Film & Television
Alberta Theater Projects props and set dec. 2011-2012
White Monkey Studios props 2012-2017
Masters FX Studios props and FX 2014-2016
Amazing Ape Productions 2016-2018
Profession: Visual artist and movie props maker
Worked on numerous big budget movies and television series.
All under ACFC and IATSE.
Education:
1993 First year Mixed Media Art credited course, Advanced Placement Program, Princeton University (USA), via LV Rogers Secondary, Nelson BC, Canada.
Cheltenham School of Art (Audited) visual art classes, Cheltenham England UK.1995
