Everything inspires me. Each sculpture is a piece in a puzzle that is my life; my fantasies, desires, fears and revelations. My art is therapy for troubles and triumphs, an open dialogue to a healing process."The Guardian Series" is a direct response to life and death. After a particularly painful period of time and the deaths of five people that were close to me, I found myself looking to ancient wisdom for insights. I began to examine my perceptions of reality and delve deeper than what appeared on the surface. Trying to understand the cycles of life and the bigger picture, I started to explore the connotations of materials.

These sculptures are metaphors for life. The materials fit the meaning of the piece. I use steel because we perceive it to be strong, glass because it is supposedly fragile. In nature, steel will rust and eventually be returned to earth. Glass may break, but it won't disappear. It can be recycled, yet we load our landfills. I make something beautiful from something discarded. The paradoxes of the world inspire me. "Little Women", "The Trophy Wife", and other series are a dialogue. Simple questions with complex answers: what is the balance between the physical and mental experience, the sexes, nature and man, effort and effect. I enjoy presenting opposing viewpoints. I am enthralled with opposites; transparent and opaque, massive and delicate, reflective and dull. Celebrating oppositions with form and content is the question; imagination the answer.

Shirley maintains her studio in WAshington state, where she has been creating glass art since the late 70's. Shirley attended Pilchuck Glass School in 1990, 91,92, 94 and 97. She was a scholarship recipient at Pilchuck in 1994 and 1997. She has a B.F.A. in Sculpture, Minor, Art History, Western Washington University, Magna Cum Laude.

2000 “A Glass Act 2000: the PRISM Collection” – Gallery: FunctionArt, Pontiac  MI

2000 A New Leaf Gallery,  CA

2000 Galerie Elektra, CA

2000 Pacific Northwest Invitational Glass Show, Bainbridge Island, WA

1999 Triad Gallery, Oregon Coast
PRISM Contemporary Glass, Pontiac, MI
Peace Arch Park, Blaine, WA
Gardens of Art at Big Rock Garden Park, Bellingham, WA