We were lucky to catch up with Shelley Kolman Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Shelley Kolman thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am truly happiest when I am creating. Whether it’s sculpting, painting, sewing, spinning and dyeing wool, weaving, writing, drawing…the list goes on and on. I’ve found that if something can be done with hands, my hands can do it. The brain, however, not so much. Please don’t ask me to balance a checkbook…
For the last three years, I’ve been teaching art part-time at Poetry Community Christian School – the first “real” job I’ve had in 40 years that has required me to be somewhere at a certain time and work with other people. (Lol, it does make me wonder how people stuck in an office can do that, day after day, smiling, being pleasant, trying not to do something crude in front of someone. )
I love being in my studio, which now by the way, I have two studios! One for sculpture, painting, dyeing – all the messy stuff, and one for sewing, leatherwork, drawing – things that require a cleaner environment. In my studio(s), I am free to flit about from one creative endeavor to another. I have chickens that wonder in sometimes (in the messy studio) and sheep that watch from the doorway. It’s basically controlled chaos.
My interests vary from day to day, and I have a project in progress for virtually any mood I might happen to be in. I get a lot done that way. I rarely sit down without something to work on. Including watching TV, that’s when I’ll be found knitting, spinning, weaving or drawing. Multitasking is my jam.
People often ask how I get so much done, and that’s the answer…all ways have something in your hands to do!

Shelley Kolman , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started out drawing portraits of my own children. Neighbors noticed and asked if I’d draw theirs too, and before I knew it, it became a nice little side gig for some fun extra money.
After seven years of that, I dove into watercolor—and within months, my work was accepted into a gallery on Knox Street in Dallas. As the kids grew older, I moved on to oil painting and took a few workshops at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas to really hone my skills. That same school also offered sculpting classes. I figured learning to sculpt would deepen my understanding of anatomy and make my paintings better. Little did I know, working in clay would steal my heart completely.
After just two sculpture workshops, I talked the priest at my church into letting me create a piece for him. Long story short, that sculpture ended up on the cover of a magazine, which led to an invitation to exhibit at a Catholic conference. From there, doors kept opening—I now have sculptures installed all over the United States. Most are religious pieces, but I’ve also done portraits of prominent figures.
It still fascinates me how life (and God) gently leads you down a path, teaching you one small thing at a time. If you pause and really look back, you can trace every detail and see exactly how it brought you to where you are today. It’s a beautiful reminder to stay open and keep creating.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

As a blossoming artist, I would have loved to attend art school, but with small children and a tight budget, that just wasn’t in the cards. My dear husband encouraged me with these wise words: “Anything you want to learn badly enough can be learned from a book.” And he was absolutely right.
I dove into every art how-to book I could get my hands on. I spent hours at the museum, drawing from sculptures and the Masters’ paintings—which forced me to really sit, look, and absorb. It was invaluable training.
In a way, I created my own personal, self-directed art school (haha, I just realized—I basically homeschooled myself as an artist!). That freedom let me focus on the parts of the craft that mattered most to me, without the constraints or potential pitfalls of formal programs.
One piece of advice I always share with aspiring artists: Take classes in business. Learn how to market yourself! No one ever knocks on your door asking, “Hey, do you know a good portrait artist or sculptor?” The creative side is challenging enough, but the business end—LLCs, taxes, pricing, promotion—is often the hardest hurdle. I’m so grateful my husband helped guide me through those areas; I don’t think I could have built my career as well (or maybe at all) without that support.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

For over twenty years, I enjoyed tremendous success as a sculptor. Unveilings were celebrations—people loved the work, and I felt on top of the world. Then came the project for an Episcopal priest that almost broke me.
He had approved every single phase: the original sketches (tweaked and redrawn countless times), the clay models, even progress photos from the foundry. On delivery day, though… he rejected it all. Completely. Twenty years of building a career, and suddenly the work was deemed unworthy.
If that had happened early in my career, I would have set down my tools forever, crawled into a hole, and wept. I did spend a few dark months wondering, “What now?” But thankfully, another commission came in… then another. Slowly, I picked up where I’d left off, and the momentum returned.
My advice to any beginning (or even seasoned) artist facing rejection: Don’t stop. Setbacks will come—some brutal ones. Put on your big-girl pants, dust yourself off, and get back to work. People might try to break you; don’t let them. If you want this badly enough, keep creating. The path isn’t always straight, but persistence wins out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shelleykolmansmith.com
• Instagram: Flying_Paint_Ranch
• Youtube: Shelley Kolman Smith