Shelly Bischoff is an artist living in the beautiful foothills of southern Alberta, Canada. She has lived an interesting life and art has been the bright ribbon woven through each chapter. Shelly was born with mild cerebral palsy affecting her right side and subsequently underwent years of physical therapy to enhance her mobility. Her family moved to central Saskatchewan when Shelly was 13, and not long after, she discovered a passion for drawing and painting. Her parents nurtured her interest by giving her a beginner’s acrylic paint set, sparking a lifelong love of creating art. She later transitioned to oil painting and joined a group of older women artists at age 15, where she found support and inspiration in a close-knit artist community. These incredible women (all decades her senior at the time!), encouraged her to pursue art and in part because of their influence, Shelly continues her artist journey today. Shelly began her career as a Registered Nurse, started a family, and set aside her art for a time.

Shelly returned to her art in the early 2000s, feeling the pull of her brushes once again. Shelly fell in love with watercolour, captivated by its soft, fluid, transparent effects. She She couldn’t give up the joy of acrylics. Shelly began creating whimsical animal art on reclaimed wood using acrylics and painting fine art in watercolour and fun, whimsical pieces in acrylic. Shelly says each medium allows her to create diverse work that appeals to different audiences. Her whimsical art has a large following, and customers eagerly await new releases. Recently, she has focused more on watercolor and is showing her work to larger audiences. With a dedicated home studio for the first time, Shelly finally finds peace creating in her sacred space.

Shelly is a proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta (she lives, works and recreates in the Otipemisiwak Region 3) ) and is deeply grateful for her Indigenous ancestry. She grew up spending time in the bush, picking berries, fishing, learning about wildlife, and camping in remote locations where she developed an appreciation and understanding for nature, spiritual connections and being a steward of the land. Shelly finds inspiration in the natural beauty of the southern Alberta foothills, mountain ranges, natural bush, prairies, and northern lakes.

Wildlife and birds undoubtedly play a special role in Shelly’s work, and she loves hours observing and learning from them. When viewing her art, you can see how her connection to nature and love for animals come alive in her art. She often immerses herself in nature, communing with trees, listening to the wind, and watching the creatures she encounters. Shelly captures moments from the natural world and infuses them with spiritual elements to tell a story. She often draws from her childhood memories and feels touched when her art sparks similar memories in others.

Shelly lives with her husband on an acreage in the foothills near Calgary, Alberta, where she enjoys nature, spends time with her grandchildren, and works on her art. A strong supporter of all forms of art and artists, she believes art can change perspectives, strengthen connections, and nourish the soul. To gain deeper insight into her work, and explore how her experiences shape her artistic vision on the Store page.