Shelli Langdale

"Love and Grief" Oil Painting

2021

Shelli Langdale is an American artist living and painting in Chattanooga, TN. She has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. An autodidact, Shelli has pivoted careers throughout her life, from a wide-area network engineer for NASA to front-end web development and design. After experiencing a personal loss in 2014, she revisited her first passion, art, and studied at the local atelier where she began creating emotive narrative works. A second personal loss in 2020 inspired her to shift her focus toward exploring the ephemeralness of relationships. Shelli's first physical solo show, "Dissolution", was an exhibit about grief. Its proceeding became a coping method and her practice in constructing meaning from loss — and was the culmination of this new body of work. ‍ Shelli's paintings are collected nationally and published in Create! Magazine, American Art Collector, Western Art Collector, and PoetsArtists. She has exhibited in California, Colorado, Florida, New York, and Tennessee. Artist Statement "In my work, I focus on the dynamic between memory and transformation, highlighting the human capacity for resilience and adaptation. These works offer a contemplative lens through which to view the process of rebuilding oneself after profound loss, illuminating the strength found in navigating life’s disruptions. I depict astronauts in loosely painted oil and acrylic scenes, inspired by science fiction and the cosmos, as explorers navigating their own paths toward self-definition. The hidden faces behind their reflective shields mirror my uncertainty and underscore the universality of the search for identity and direction. Through these paintings, I use exploration as a metaphor for self-discovery and the quest for joy. The environments and circumstances in which these astronauts find themselves highlight the unpredictability of life’s path and the resilience required to adapt to new realities. Ultimately, my work invites viewers into a narrative of self-discovery and introspection, encouraging them to reflect on their own journeys and the ways they navigate transformation and loss."