30 Paintings in 30 Days begins….now
Shelby Keefe: Pfister Artist in Residence
MILWAUKEE – Sept. 19, no rx 2011 – Beginning today, The Pfister Hotel’s Artist in Residence, Shelby Keefe, will be creating a painting a day for 30 straight days. The works will be featured at The Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek, Wisconsin at a show this fall. The public is invited to visit Keefe in her studio at the hotel to witness her 30-day challenge firsthand.
“Any time one practices their art on a daily basis, stuff whether it be music, writing or painting, as is my case, they are bound to improve their craft,” said Keefe. “With this challenge, I plan to develop finer skills and learn by daily practice what it’s like to bring the human form into urban landscapes without literal interpretations and specific characteristics.”
Keefe has asked the public to help her find inspiration for the paintings. From now until the end of the 30 days, the public is invited to send her people-focused or urban landscape photos for consideration. Photos can be sent to PfisterPhotos@ThePfisterHotel.com. If she chooses one of your photos to paint, you’ll receive a digital print of the finished piece as a keepsake.
In addition to her show in Fish Creek, Keefe will be displaying some of her paintings from the challenge during the October Gallery Night at The Pfister, from 5-9pm on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The hotel will also host a reception that night, open to the public from 9-11:30pm in Café Pfister.
Home to more Victorian-style art than any other hotel in the world, the historic Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee is in its third year hosting a celebrated artist-in-residence program. Keefe moved into the Pfister’s studio space in April 2011, replacing former Pfister artist Katie Musolff, and will remain at the hotel for one year.
A contemporary impressionistic painter, teacher and performance artist, Keefe was born in Whitewater, Wis., and graduated in 1981 from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. Since retiring from a career in graphic design in 2005, she has been operating her own art studio and exhibition space in Bay View. Her award-winning urban landscape paintings have earned her participation in prestigious national juried shows, plein air painting competitions and arts festivals, as well as garnering commission work for a variety of corporate clients and private collectors.
The Pfister’s Artist-In-Residence Program
Entering its third year, The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence program features a working art studio and gallery that is open to hotel guests and visitors. The program encourages the public to interact with the artist and witness the evolution of each piece firsthand.
For more information on The Pfister’s Artist-In-Residence program, visit www.ThePfisterHotel.com/ArtistInResidence. The Pfister can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thePfisterHotel and on Twitter @PfisterHotel.