Shelly Dawn Taylor 

Shelly is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes from her homeland She grew up with the teachings gifted by her mother and aunts who were artists and bead workers. Having Agency Lake, Rocky Ford, and Huckleberry Mountain as a playground, these places continue to inspire her. In her early years, she was also raised with the many head of horses her mom bred and showed, providing many experiences that she uses in some of her works. 

 

As a young adult, Shelly was a passionate artist who worked a day job for decades and sold her drawings, paintings, and beadwork to friends, family and the local gift shops and vendors to make ends meet while raising her children.

 

Shelly graduated as the first generation to go to college from the Art Institutes of Tucson in 2014 with an Associate’ in Graphic Design. Furthering her education she graduated in 2021 from the Tohono O’odham Community College with an Associate’ of Fine Arts with a focus on studio arts. 

 

Shelly has taught various studio and digital media classes as a professor of practice at TOCC starting in 2014 through 2018 and currently from 2022. She also continues to pursue her own art,  working in a range of mediums; drawing, painting, printmaking, beading, jewelry, digital media, and photography. She also designs fliers and album art for her partner and other local metal musicians. 

 

She is also a designer for two indigenous owned companies. She uses her background in her indigenous patterns in beadwork and her understanding of color harmonies to create work that reflects her love of her mom and connection to her home (Klamath County, Chiloquin, and Beatty Oregon).