Shelly Stokes

Shelly Stokes Statement

I paint, stitch, and add beads to fabric for the sheer joy of creating beautiful patterns. My art is
my means of tapping into the unseen creative currents that flow around us. It’s my way of
slowing down and finding contentment in the all too busy world we call home.

The designs and colors of my work are influenced by the bold colors and the exuberant pottery
of my adopted home in central Mexico. I find inspiration in shapes and motifs from Talavera
pottery, modify them for my working methods, and then turn the designs into circular, rotating
patterns. I think of them as flowers in my Talavera Garden.

My working process allows me to exercise my engineering skills as well as my painting and
handwork skills. While the design and stencil-cutting aspects of my work require intense
concentration and linear thinking, the painting, stitching and beading phases are much more
fluid and intuitive. The hand stitching, in particular, provides ample time for contemplation and
exploration as each piece evolves.

As I stitch and add beads to painted fabric, it comes to life before my eyes. The texture of heavy
thread and the soft shimmer of beads infuse each piece with a joyful vibration. I am blessed to
have a way to capture this energy and share it with you.

Shelly Stokes Resumé

Shelly Stokes is an artist, author, teacher, and entrepreneur with a passion for transforming fabric using both traditional and unexpected techniques and materials. She is best known for her work with Shiva® Artist’s Paintstiks® and the many ways they can be used on fabric.

After leaving a career in Computer Engineering, Shelly turned her passion for fiber art into a highly successful niche business. In 2005, she refocused her business around Shiva Artist’s Paintstiks and accessory products. Over the years, she designed and manufactured several product lines for quilters, fabric artists, and the broader craft market.

In 2015, Shelly closed the product-based portion of her business in order to concentrate on teaching and making her own art. Several years later, she and her husband packed up their Minnesota home and moved to a castle in Chapala, Jalisco in central Mexico.

Shelly’s current work is the culmination of 20 years of experience using Paintstiks on fabric along with her love on traditional hand embroidery and beading. She works from her home-based studio and teaches occasional online courses.

Books
Paintstiks on Fabric: Simple Techniques, Fantastic Results, 2005
Design Magic for Paintstiks on Fabric, 2010
Rubbing Plate Roundup, 2011

Awards
2015 Honorable Mention, International Quilt Festival - Painted Surface, Bailando en la Noche
2015 Best of Show Wall Quilt, MN Quilt Show, Bailando en la Noche
2015 1st Place, MN Quilt Show - Art Quilts, Bailando en la Noche
2014 1st Place, MN Quilt Show - Mixed Techniques, How Does Your Garden Glow?
2002 1st Place, MN Quilt Show - Small Art Quilt, Refracted Plaid
2002 1st Place, Quilting the Quilt Show - Small Art Quilt, Refracted Plaid
2001 5th place, New Quilts from an Old Favorite Tumbling Blocks AQS Contest, Glass Magic Blocks

Numerous other local/regional awards

Television
Guest appearances on Quilting Arts TV for 5 seasons

Business
Founder/Owner of Cedar Canyon Textiles, Inc.
www.CedarCanyonTextiles.com