We recently connected with Shelley Heffler and have shared our conversation below.

Shelley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

From an early age, I felt an innate desire to pursue a creative path. As a child, I spent much of my time crafting and drawing, often opting to create murals or paintings for school assignments rather than writing book reports. Growing up in New York City provided me with the unique opportunity to explore and learn from the city’s museums and galleries, which I eagerly took advantage of. At the Art Students League, located just across from Carnegie Hall, I began taking classes and honing my craft. Later, I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I studied Interior Design and eventually landed a job designing custom carpets for Edward Fields. During this time, I painted patterns and matched colors to suit clients’ needs. While working there, I met my first husband in Los Angeles, and we eventually embarked on a year-long journey to Spain, Turkey, Afghanistan, and India.

Upon returning, I pursued my masters in art and began teaching art in colleges and high schools. Throughout my career, I have always found a way to make art a central focus of my life. Today, I am fortunate enough to be living in Palm Desert, where I own a gallery and studio and work as a full-time artist.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As an artist, I am deeply concerned about the impact that human consumption and waste have on our environment. My work centers around the transformation of discarded vinyl advertising banners into works of art that reveal a connection between our consumption habits and the environmental waste we leave behind. Each banner holds its own cultural history and significance, and my goal is to capture and communicate that history through my art. Using meticulous hand-cutting techniques, I fracture the initial image of the banner, disrupting its central intent and repurposing it into something new. The colors and shapes of the banners are sorted and brought together to create weavings, collages, or three-dimensional wall sculptures. The final piece often bears little resemblance to the original banner, having been transformed into a complex abstract shape with a unique color scheme.
Through my art, I strive to promote awareness, provoke dialogue, and inspire action. I believe that art has the power to transcend language and cultural barriers, and can communicate complex issues in a way that is both accessible and thought-provoking. My hope is that my art will encourage viewers to reflect on their own consumption habits and consider the impact of their actions on the environment.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Teaching was never my primary career goal. I had always created art, taking on commissions and assignments to sustain myself. However, when I went through a divorce and needed a more reliable source of income, I had to seek out alternative options. In Los Angeles, finding a creative job was a challenge, especially without connections. As a result, I ended up accepting substitute teaching positions. Fortunately, I was frequently called in to cover art classes, and eventually, I was offered a full-time teaching position at Hollywood High School where I taught art.

Despite never having intended to become a teacher, I found my 25-year career to be incredibly rewarding. I enjoyed mentoring and working with young, aspiring artists and found fulfillment in helping them develop their skills and reach their potential.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My main objective is to keep creating art, which involves various aspects of the art market, such as exhibiting, selling, and gaining entry into galleries and museums. I aspire to have collectors purchase and display my art and gain recognition from museums. It may seem like a lofty ambition, but my ultimate goal is to have my work featured as part of the world’s cultural heritage in a museum collection.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shelleyheffler.com
• Instagram: shelleyhefflerartist
• Facebook: shelley heffler
• Linkedin: shelley heffler
• Youtube: shelley heffler

Image Credits
Shelley Heffler