For Prescott poet and painter Shelley Lowell, art comes through a process of channeling. She creates paintings with accompanying poems that she attributes to spiritual messages. “The Universe has been giving me the images for the paintings and then the poems.” She has created over 50 painting/poem combinations in this series, many of which can be found on her website. The surreal landscapes, devoid of people, have a haunting beauty. Natural objects address the reader directly. “Trees and nature speak their minds about how they are treated by humans. They share their hopes, dreams, fears, desires, and premonitions about the human condition and precarious situation facing our planet’s survival.”
Shelley has a long history as an artist and poet. Originally from the Bronx in New York, she earned a BFA in advertising design and visual communication from Pratt Institute. “This was the perfect choice for me. I learned how to communicate through pictures and words.” She has won many awards for her commercial and fine art, and has had numerous poems published in journals and online.
In the 1970s she was part of the feminist-art movement, her work appearing in shows alongside noted feminist artists including Judy Chicago. She ran a successful graphic-design studio/ad agency while working on her art and poetry.
She always felt that she was receiving spiritual, metaphysical or psychological messages that found their way into her work, but at times these communications were not as strong. After she opened an art gallery in Asheville NC, she became part of the metaphysical and spiritual community there. “My voice came back to me. I began painting what appeared as abstract paintings, but they were spiritual messages. This work evolved over the years to become my work today.” Although her artistic life has been diverse and incorporated many styles and locations, she believes all her experiences were meant to be. “In retrospect, there were no accidents, as there are no accidents for anyone on their creative journey. My early works were the seeds for my current work in that both have been channeled and both have messages for humanity.”
When discussing her artistic process, Shelley shares, “The paintings come through me as tiny sketches. Then I draw them bigger, and develop them on the canvas. Each painting has a poem, which is its story. While painting I hear words that give me an idea of what the painting is about. When the painting is complete, I meditate on the image. I write down words that come through me. I edit and tweak the words until I feel they work as a poetic statement. My paintings, with their poems, are messages from earth to humanity.”
Shelley describes her paintings/poems as wake-up calls. “There is an apocalyptic thread through my work. We humans need to feel the pain that nature feels in order for humankind to change their attitude and support nature. Mother Nature is our partner. We are not separate from nature or earth. Humans are not superior to nature. We must care for nature, love and respect our habitat. We are nothing if we do not have a planet. This work is about nature, but it is also about humans and human nature.”
After living in many places in the east, Shelley relocated with her cats and dog to Prescott Valley last year. Her home is filled with her art, finished and unfinished. “Since my life revolves around creating, my home becomes my studio.” As a living she paints commissioned portraits of animals and people, and continues to produce graphic-design projects. She has enjoyed connecting with the varied artistic community in Prescott, showing her work in local galleries, and participating in poetry readings. She’s given workshops through Central Arizona Writers and the Center for Spiritual Living. She feels Prescott was the right decision, artistically and personally. “There are the mountains, the change of scenery from valleys to dense forests, Prescott's charming downtown, the wide expanse of sky, the sunlight and the rocks. There is a lot here to inspire me. The artist community is friendly and welcoming. I am so glad to be here.”
Shelley envisions seeing her collection of poems/paintings in a permanent exhibit, surrounded by nature, where others can experience it and share their own work. “I feel that I have been given this work because there is a great urgency for it to be shared in order to help raise humanity’s consciousness, to treat earth and all animals with love and respect. This is so important for the future of our existence.”
More at shelleylowell.com and greatpetpaintings.com
Still I am confused,
bewildered, perplexed.
How could a species so intelligent
do that to their own?
I’ve seen this happen
time and again.
Each time I wept.
Not for food.
These upright beings.
But for power, control, greed.
I’ve seen this happen
time and again.
Each time I wept.
It will happen no more.
They are gone.
I’ve seen this happen
time and again.
Each time I wept.
The forests. The animals.
All gone.
I’ve seen this happen
time and again.
Each time I wept.
I am the last tree standing.
Dee Cohen is a Prescott poet and photographer. deecohen@cox.net.
