For 10 years. Shelley was an oil painter, making figurative work in the feminist narrative. While her artistic roots are in representational painting since 2005, Shelley has worked abstractly, creating shaped paintings in encaustic, and sculptural paintings in acrylic. Both bodies of work have received numerous awards at exhibits in the Midwest and the East Coast. The recent book Encaustic Art in the 21st Century includes her work. Shelley has been inspired by residencies at Ragdale and the American Academy in Rome. She’s a member of Chicago Sculpture International, and the founder of the professional artists group FUSEDChicago.