Art making is an exploratory process for me.

I start with a concept, then set up parameters such as colors, media and size, seeing where those preliminary provisos take me. Working in various media, I examine the idea in mind, allowing the paint to migrate in unanticipated directions, occasionally deconstructing then reconstructing works. I paint on paper and canvas, but also on innovative substrates, such as stiffened silk, a surface I create.

My abstract paintings reference the natural world, striving for a peaceful co-existence with the planet and people. Specifically to this end, most recently I have created peace-themed paintings, embellishing the 1958 peace symbol.

My studio is based in Sacramento, and I have exhibited art on the West Coast, from Vancouver to Los Angeles, but primarily in the greater Sacramento area. I completed an MFA in Painting, with Honors, at the San Francisco Art Institute and BA degrees in both Art History and Art Studio at Sac State. I hope to meet you here at the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center during an art reception and would enjoy talking with you about art! Please also explore my website at www.shirleyhazlett.com