Alisa Shea

Alisa Shea is a child of the 70s from Normal (yes, Normal), Illinois. Despite a clear passion and aptitude for fine art, Ms. Shea was persuaded to forego an art education in favor of more practical pursuits. In 2013—two decades, two degrees, and several unrelated jobs later—she decided she could no longer defer her artistic goals, and left an established career in health outcomes research in order to pursue painting full time. 

Ms. Shea currently works exclusively in watercolor. She is a Signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor Honor Society, and American Women Artists. She has been featured in publications including The Artist's Magazine, Watercolor Artist, The Art of Watercolour, International Artist Magazine, and Fine Art Connoisseur, as well as several editions of the Splash-Best of Watercolor book series.

Ms. Shea takes a medium known for its softness and unpredictability and pushes it to its outermost limits of saturation and control. Her still life paintings are a celebration of the intricacies of the familiar and the beauty generated by the patina of time. While often featuring vintage subjects, Ms. Shea’s work is informed by her current life experiences and surroundings. As a result, her work offers an interplay between the present and the past, providing a detailed study of extant objects and themes while simultaneously evoking a sense of history and nostalgia.

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.