Shelly J. Cox

 
 
  • Galleries
  • Portrait Process
  • Contact
  • Join Email List
  • Bio/ CV
  • Resume
  • YouTube Channel

Bio/ CV/ Artist Statement

painting at ArtigrasShelly Home pageArigras Set up

Yes I want the free guide to creating better paintings!

Artist Bio
Shelly J. Cox

Shelly is a contemporary realist oil painter who lives and works in the horse community of Jupiter Farms, Florida, USA.  Born in Kentucky, Shelly has returned to her roots with the her new series Westerns In Wood collection. While Shelly did graduate from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Florida with a degree in commercial illustration, she is a self-taught oil painter. With a relentless desire to advance her skill, Shelly works regularly with her mentor Living Master Tina Garrett and attends workshops with the top realist artists of today. 

Westerns In Wood is the collaboration between the husband-and-wife team of Shelly and Greg Vandermeulen. Greg is a firefighter who enjoys working with wood while Shelly has been painting professionally for many years.  She continues to sign her work in her maiden name, Cox.  

Currently Shelly has combined her love for painting the figure and portraits with education. She has a thriving YouTube channel which focuses on teaching portraiture and offers step-by-step painting tutorial videos. You will find the artist is in her studio daily working on her Westerns In Wood collection unless she is on location shooting her reference photos.  This series of westerns reflects Shelly's longing to live in the West surrounded by the mountains and the Cowboy's way of life. She wants people to remember American heritage with focus on the more positive aspects.  The artist also believes she is paying tribute and honoring the Native American heritage by painting them and helping people to remember their way of life and how it was tied closely to nature. Shelly spends time researching her Native subjects to be sure she is being respectful and capturing even the smallest detail correctly.  

Shelly is a proud member of the Portrait Society of America, American Women Artists, Women Artists Of The West, and Oil Painters Of America.  She has been published in art books and won several awards.  
Shelly's focus is on improving her technical skills while pushing the boundaries of her creativity. She is painting full time and her learning process includes studying paintings by the Masters of the past and the great artists of today. Shelly states,” in being a self- taught portrait / figurative artist, each painting brings me a feeling of integrity and accomplishment.”   

When Shelly is not painting westerns, she is taking on portrait commissions. Shelly has been painting commissioned portraits since 2007. She has developed a new modern style of portraiture she calls "Persona Portraits" where the head is painted realistically and the background elements further tell the story of the sitter in a more illustrative manner. She has also developed another distinct portrait style she calls her "Rockwellian" style. This developed after she intensely studied the works of Norman Rockwell.  For this series Shelly uses the pseudonym Norma Cockwell.     


 

ARTIST STATEMENT:  

 

Western themed art is something I have always wanted to paint. It wasn’t until now that I felt my skills are up to the challenge. Oil paint is my medium, but what makes my work unique is the exotic wood accents that my husband and I create. Each painting gets a specially selected wood accent based on its composition and emotion. The wood we source is reclaimed. No trees have been harmed in the making of my art!

Traveling to photo shoots where I can get my own reference images of cowboys and ranch life is a priority for my work. This includes rodeos and pow wows. From my latest travels, I have planned 19 paintings for my series Westerns In Wood. Each one tells a story of American life from about the mid 1800’s. While my work depicts realism, I let my bold brush strokes stand proudly for a painterly look. Experimenting with mark making is my favorite part of this process.

Growing up in Kentucky and spending Summers at my grandparent’s farm, I experienced a taste of this lifestyle firsthand. Memories that fuel my work today.   

This new series can be seen here
www.westernsinwood.com


 

Become a Patron!


sjc logo


Shelly J. Cox, Artist     

Jupiter, Florida

PH: 561-250-2772

Email: [email protected] 


Education:
 The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale

 ASSOCIATES OF ARTS IN FASHION ILLUSTRATION                                 YEARS ATTENDED 1982-1985

                                                                                                                      Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

 
 Broward Community College

  ASSOCIATES OF ARTS DEGREE IN PRE-MED                                           YEARS ATTENDED 1992-1994

   (Graduated  Sum Cum Laude)                                                                       Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

      

 

 South University
  ASSOCIATES OF SCIENCE IN                                                                     YEARS ATTENDED 1995-1997

  PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSISTING                                                                  West Palm Beach, Florida

      

 

 Institute Of Children's Literature
  Successful Completion of Requisite Course of Study:                           YEARS ATTENDED 2000-2002

  Writing For Children And Teenagers                                                        West Redding, Connecticut

    

 Armory Art Center

  Painting and Sculpting Courses- Non Degree                                       YEARS ATTENDED 2005 to Present

                                                                                                                           West Palm Beach, Florida


 Palm Beach State College
  Beginning Photoshop Course- Non Degree                                           YEARS ATTENDED 2011 to Present

                                                                                                                              Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

 
 Baumgaertner Atelier
  Baumgaertner Mentoring Portrait Workshop                        YEAR ATTENDED May 2011     
                                                                                                                               La Crosse, Wisconsin

 

 Miami Portrait Academy                                                           YEAR ATTENDED Nov 2012

 Featuring Renowned portrait artist                                                           Miami, Florida  

 David Chang, Hodges Soileau, &Kerry Vosler

Tina Garrett Portrait Workshop                              YEAR ATTENDED  June 2017 

 
Tina Garrett Mentorship Program                  YEAR ATTENDED Sept 2018 to Present


AWARDS:

     2019  American Art Awards  1st place in Humor category for "A Painter's Problem". 
     2019  American Art Awards  3rd place in Religious or Spiritual category for "Earth Mother."
     2019  Gateway International Painting Competition  March  Finalist for "Requiem".
     2019  Gateway International Painting Competition  April Best In Show for "Anointed".
     2019  Gateway International Painting Competition  July Finalist for "Grounded".
     2019  Contemporary Art Gallery  Figure/Portrait Competition 8th place for "Requiem".
     2016  Artists Of The Palm Beaches  Portrait Exhibit  Featured Artist "April Fools" & "GHV" 
     2013  Winner BEST EMERGING ARTIST for Artigas Palm Beach Fl
     2013  Talentcall Competition  Emotions In Portrait 1st Place for "GHV A Portrait"
        




Group Exhibitions:  

                

  • 2013 Artigras , Palm Beach Gardens, FL. (Emerging Artist 1st Place Winner)
  • 2012 pARTicipation, Artist Of The Palm Beaches at Art Armory, WPB, FL
  • 2012 Annual Ellen Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2012 Art, Eats, Beats, & Treats, Downtown at the Gardens, Included Live Art                   Demonstrations, Art Nouveau Event  
  • 2011 Nude Nites, Tampa, FL
  • 2011 Nude Nites, Orlando, FL
  • 2011 Armory After Hours: Inferno, West Palm Beach, FL
  • 2010 Art Undressed, Miami, FL
  • 2010 Whateva’ Works World Erotic Art Show, Hollywood, FL
  • 2010 Exxxotica Expo, Miami, FL
  • 2010 Nude Nites, Orlando, FL
  • 2010 Nude Nites, Tampa, FL
  • 2009 The Montgomery Gallery at The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL          
    • 2009 Too Bizarre, Jupiter, FL
    • 2009 The Food Shack, Jupiter, FL
    • 2008 Art In The Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
    • 2008 Artist Wanted,   International Web Gallery                                                                                                        

 

 

 

Portrait / Fine Art Commissions
     
2018     M.T. Jupiter, FL-Portrait - Fantasy Style
     
2016     E. Lightman, Palm Beach Gardens, FL - Custom Fine Art
     2015     E. Lightman, Palm Beach Gardens, FL- Custom Fine Art
     2015     M. F. Tequesta, FL - Mural
     
2014     D. Santos, Jupiter, FL - Custom Fine Art 

  • 2014     R. P. Jupiter, FL, Classic Portrait
  • 2013     S. Spicer, Jupiter, FL-Classic Child
  • 2013     D. Applegren Palm Beach Gardens, FL-Special Request
  • 2013     M. Kraemmer, Jupiter, FL –Classic Child
  • 2013     G. Bingham, North palm Beach, FL-Posthumous Portrait/ wife
  • 2012   M. Dean, Palm Beach, Florida- Rockwellian Style
  • 2012   J. Steiner, Boca Raton, Florida- Classic
  • 2012   J. Bridges, Jupiter, Florida- Cameo
  • 2012   T. Verno, Jupiter, Florida-Cameo
  • 2012   D. Mckessey, Jupiter, Florida-Classic
  • 2012   K. Aggyval, Jupiter, Florida- Classic Mother Daughter
  • 2011   C. Riccarrdo, Jupiter, Florida-Rockwellian Style
  • 2011   F. Bruni, Jupiter, Florida-Classic Pet
  • 2011   S. Lynn, Miami, Florida- Fantasy Style
  • 2011   S. Pallo, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-Rockwellian Style
  • 2010   S. Jean, Miami, Florida-Fantasy Style
  • 2010   A. Barney, West Palm Beach, Florida-Classic Wedding
  • 2010   L. Roth, Jupiter, Florida-Classic Pet
  • 2009   G. Hundley, Orlando, Florida-Classic Family w/ Pets
  • 2009   G. Hundley, Orland, Florida-Special Request Velvet Elvis
  • 2009   L. Nedin, Key West, Florida-Close Up Style
  • 2009   L. Westcott, Palm City, Florida-Fantasy Style
  • 2009   J. Webster, Jupiter, Florida- Family in Fantasy Style
  • 2008   M. Knapp, West Palm Beach, Florida-Classic
  • 2007   L. Voellinger, North Palm Beach, Florida-Fairytale Style                                                                  

 

                              

 

 

 

Collections

  • 2007 Miami Girls – Owned by James and Linda Westcott, FL
  • 2007 Sonya – Owned by Livan and Sioban Torres, FL
  • 2007 Lust – Owned by Mr. Gregory VanderMeulen, FL
  • 2008 Despair – Owned by Ms. Ora Rockwood, FL
  • 2010 Shadow Beach – Owned by Mr. Adam Hoffman, NY                                  

 

Publications:  

                     2013 Florida Weekly, ArtiGras announces winners in art competitions        

                     2013 PBG Lifestyle Magazine, Art From The Heart by Amy Woods

                   2011 “Worlds Greatest Erotic Art Of Today,” Vol. 4

                           Art Included: Rosie by Norma Cockwell

                                                 A Painter’s Problem by Norma Cockwell

                                                 Welcome To Eroticville by Norma Cockwell

                                                                                         

Interviews      

  • 2010 Telemundo Television, Miami, FL
  • 2010 The Screamin Sam Show Live Internet TV and Radio Show
  • 2010 Da-basement 305 with Andre “Soul” Williams for EyoUrbanTV.com

 

Art Associations

  •     SEE|ME artist community, Member since 2013
  •     Portrait Society Of America, Member since 2012
  •     Artist Of The Palm Beaches, Member since 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Become a Patron!
[#]Join Email List
Powered by artspan.com
Artist Websites