Her Vibrant Mixed Media Compositions Absolutely Rock

Lynnette Shelley is a rocker, co-founder of a dark avant band with an edge and vocalist for a second progressive band known for its original music.

She’s also an artist of a different sort. Shelley’s highly detailed mixed media compositions made from multiple layers of ink and acrylic enchant the eye. They’re vibrant and vivid, full of line and texture. Her “fauxsaic” paintings incorporate collage using hand-colored and cut watercolor paper with results so precise they resemble mosaic tile.

“I actually split my studio space,” said Shelley, awarded “Master Artisan” status by the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. “One room is my art room, and the other room is for the band.”

She favors animal mythology, icons and archetypes and often paints intricate patterns of birds, inspired by the variety they offer. “I was never that ‘Let’s draw a building’ type of person,” she said. “I generally draw living things. I research whatever animal I’m doing and use various pictures as an amalgam of different angles I’m looking at.”

Often while working in her studio in Maple Glen, Pennsylvania, she listens to a favorite podcast, “Tooth and Claw,” to learn more about habits of animals in the wild. Shelley creates on a wood panel, starting with the background and moving forward with each layer. After priming the wood, she uses acrylic ink, which combines well with the acrylic paint that comes later in the process. She sketches her design with chalk on the layers of ink. Then she paints and adds fine line detail with ink pen. Each piece is varnished with a UV spray.

If Shelley wants the fauxsaic effect, she colors watercolor paper with ink, cuts it up, and arranges it on the panel, putting a clear coat of acrylic medium on top. Once varnished, it resembles mosaic tile.

From there the hardware is attached to the cradled panel. Forgoing a traditional frame adds to the modern aesthetic.

“I like the look of something more immediate,” she said.

Shelley recalls enjoying art as early as kindergarten, and in high school her art teacher surprised her by entering one of her pieces into a competition.

“It was a group show at the Delaware Art Museum and I was the only non-adult in the show,” Shelley said.

Still, she never considered making a career in art. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Delaware, she weathered print media for a decade in addition to graphic design.

“I got to the point where I wanted to work for myself and do what I was actually good at. That’s art,” Shelley said.

Her other art form, music, is a passion project. Shelley has been a vocalist in The Red Masque since 2001; her husband, Brandon Ross, plays bass and keyboards. She’s also a vocalist with a second band, Green Cathedral.

“The music is definitely a passion,” Shelley said. “From a practical point of view, it makes no sense. But it’s an art form, too, and I love it.”

Shelley generally exhibits her artwork within two hours of her Maple Glen studio, which is hosting a holiday open studio tour on Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 pm.

Look for Shelley’s booth in 2025 at Rose Squared Art Shows at Chase Center (July 26-27, 2025) and Ludwig’s Corner (Sept. 14-15, 2025).