Shelley Koss

“Much of my art relates to my perception of nature and social issues. Fabric and thread are my “paint.” My realism portraits are driven by a need to know the intimate details of my subjects while my more abstract creations recognize that nature is playful. My series on social symbols plays on the fact of how a symbol can cause immediate and dramatic emotional responses.” Shelley creates modern wall art quilts that can be traditionally bound or framed. She also paints in watercolor and in fabric and thread. She uses different techniques such as thread painting, fabric collage and shadow play to create works of art. Thread painting is a technique of painting on fabric with thread instead of oil or acrylic paints. The threads are densely free motion stitched to create a realistic work of art. Frequent thread color changes create objects, shadows, light and intensity. Reflection and depth are created using different sheen threads with different thread weights and textures. The result is a painting that can be traditionally framed or bound as a quilt. The artwork, “Intensity” is an example of this technique where only thread is used to create a realistic image of a red fox eye. Shelley also enjoys using thread to create shadow play, as in the titled work, “Press Play.” White thread on a white background fabric emotes texture simply through the strategic use of thread density. Each work of art is one of a kind. Shelley takes commission work of people, pets and nature and has donated work to local animal 501(c)(3) charities. Current and Past Juried Exhibitions: 2025 First Studio Gallery in conjunction with Arizona Art Alliance 2025 Portland On The Park Gallery, Cycle 17, Owl 2025 Wham Art Gallery, Interpretations X, Bloom 2025 QuiltCon, What Goes Around Comes Around and Modern Fusion Community Quilt Fractured to Fusion 2024 Portland On The Park Gallery, Cycle 16, Squirrel 2024 FOUND: Gallery, Press Play and Plus Minus 2024 Craft Forms, 29th International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Intensity 2024 Vision Gallery, Art Quilts: Impact!, What Goes Around Comes Around 2024 The Lincoln Center Gallery – 40th Annual New Legacies: Contemporary Art Quilts – Bloom – Won Honorable Mention 2024 AQS Grand Rapids – When you hear hoofbeats, sometimes it is a zebra 2024 Wham Art Center Gallery- Dragonfly 1, Dragonfly 2, Butterfly 1, Butterfly 2, A Cactus You Can Touch 2024 International Quilt Show in Houston – modern category Twist – Modern Minimalist Snowflake 2024 AQS Paducah – Modern Minimalist Snowflake and When you hear hoofbeats, sometimes it is a zebra 2024 Ground Floor Artists Gallery, Watercolors, Rainbow Sheltie and Grandma’s Barn 2024 Wham Gallery, Arizona Art Alliance Exhibition, Art Interpretations IX, Watercolor Owl 2024 AQS Branson – Modern Minimalist Snowflake and When you hear hoofbeats, sometimes it is a zebra 2024 AQS Daytona Beach – Modern Minimalist Snowflake and When you hear hoofbeats, sometimes it is a zebra 2024 45th Annual Contemporary Crafts at Mesa Contemporary Art Museum Recent Awards: 2025 Wham Art Center Gallery – 3rd Place Fiber 2024 Wayne Art Center Gallery- Honorable Mention Fiber 2024 Wham Art Center Gallery- Honorable Mention Watercolor