Frances Smolen
Elevation – Shelley Smolen, 2025
wood veneer, cardboard, painted paper 4 x 6"
Mixed media collage - elevating common materials, composing them to showcase the beauty in every day materials.
Frances Smolen
Lapis Luzuli – Shelley Smolen, 2025
Collage using blue oil paint marbling and textured gold paint made by my young daughters on artist made Baltic Birch panel. 27” x 20”
I create my artwork by piecing together small sections of my drawings, paintings, wood scraps, and designs and patterns my daughters make while working with me in the studio. Though my background is in sculptural woodworking, my art was forced to adapt and change after becoming a mother of three. The time, tools and specific studio setup were no longer accessible for my new life as a parent but I maintained a strong desire to preserve the patchwork quality in marquetry and similar crafts and the use of forgotten or unwanted remnants at the center of my artistic style. This stems from a love of upcycling or elevating overlooked scraps into a new work of art. My art requires a lot of time and patience as I puzzle handmade pieces together, forming my own version of meditation as I work. This new method of creating art has also become a fun outlet in our studio for my three daughters to “make pieces for mommy” and they have an active role in the making of my art. My daughters make painted paper using several different methods, and we are constantly testing out new ideas. They take great joy in seeing their pieces interwoven in the artworks I make and I look forward to seeing how this process will evolve as my three girls grow older.
Frances Smolen
Enshrine – Shelley Smolen, 2025
collage using cardboard, painted paper, drawings, wood veneer, and painted paper made by my young daughters. 18" dia
"Enshrine" developed from a love of upcycling or elevating overlooked scraps into a new work of art. This work is a collage of cardboard, wood veneer, and hand drawn/painted paper. It is on an artist-made, relief wooden Baltic Birch panel.
Frances Smolen
Summer’s End – Shelley Smolen, 2024
Painted paper, including work made by my young daughter. On a Baltic Birch Plywood panel. 18" dia
My oldest daughter, Ronah, who is 7 years old, loves helping me in our family art studio. I typically make my artwork by piecing together small sections of my drawings, paintings, wood scraps, and doodles from my children. For this piece in particular I wanted to highlight Ronah's art, she created beautiful bubble paintings for me to incorporate, she also gave me great suggestions about where to place her pieces and enjoyed cheering me on and discussing the process as I worked. The patchwork quality in quilting, marquetry and similar crafts has always appealed to me aesthetically and I love the challenge of using forgotten or unwanted remnants. Conceptually, I enjoy upcycling or elevating overlooked scraps into a new work of art. It has also become a fun tradition in our art studio for Ronah and her younger twin sisters to make “pieces for mommy” and I love finding where to best incorporate them in my artwork.
Frances Smolen
Fatherhood – Shelley Smolen, 2023
Collage of various materials, painted paper, including scribbles made by my young daughter and wood veneer. On a Baltic Birch Plywood panel. 24"
Frances Smolen
Calm Collections – Shelley Smolen, 2024
Painted paper, including work made by my young daughter. On a Baltic Birch Plywood panel. 18" dia
My oldest daughter, Ronah, who is 7 years old, loves helping me in our family art studio. I typically make my artwork by piecing together small sections of my drawings, paintings, wood scraps, and doodles from my children. For this piece in particular I wanted to highlight Ronah's art, she created beautiful bubble paintings for me to incorporate, she also gave me great suggestions about where to place her pieces and enjoyed cheering me on and discussing the process as I worked. The patchwork quality in quilting, marquetry and similar crafts has always appealed to me aesthetically and I love the challenge of using forgotten or unwanted remnants. Conceptually, I enjoy upcycling or elevating overlooked scraps into a new work of art. It has also become a fun tradition in our art studio for Ronah and her younger twin sisters to make “pieces for mommy” and I love finding where to best incorporate them in my artwork.
