Linda Shaffer
instagram: @redpearlart
PH: 1-760-224-9572
I began my artistic journey on a grade school field trip. The field trip was to the famous Van Briggle Pottery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We toured the facility and the highlight of the trip for me was watching a master potter work on the wheel. A lump of clay became a beautiful vessel right before my eyes, it was like magic. I decided then one day I would learn how to work with clay.
I got my opportunity to take my first pottery classes in Manitou Springs, Colorado while I was attending school to become a Registered Nurse. I loved the classes. After graduation from nursing school, I purchased a wheel and threw pots. To improve my skills, I took college level pottery classes which led to countless other college art classes. While at Loma Linda University in Graduate school, working with clay became too difficult to manage with my schedule so I began making jewelry and painting with acrylics. After Graduate school, I opened up my own part time pottery studio, made jewelry, and painted.
When I retired from teaching college, I made art my full-time focus. In 2010, I attended the Gemological Institute of America’s Graduate Jeweler program. I created the Red Pearl Art brand to encompass both my jewelry designs and art. I am a full-time working artist. I currently teach art classes in Boulder City, Nevada encouraging people to find their authentic fun approach to making art. I am represented by Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery and UGallery.com. My work is also available at the Art Box in the Las Vegas Container Park and the Boulder City Art Gallery, Boulder City, Nevada.
Shows and Awards:
2023
• Featured Artist-Linda Shaffer, Boulder City Art Galley, November 2023, Boulder City, Nevada
• 5th Annual “Use Other Door”, Core Contemporary Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Finding A Way”, August 5 through September 30, 2023
• Good News, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “All Over the World” and “Chemical Attraction”, August 4 through August 25, 2023
• Art in Public Places, Artwork Purchase Program, City of Las Vegas Arts Commission, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Dancing In The Rain”, May 26, 2023
• In Print, Winchester Cultural Art Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, “The Right Way”, June 6, 2023 through July 22, 2023
• Celebrating Life! 2023, Charleston Heights Arts Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Little Flyer”’, May 26, 2023 through July 2023
• Mosaic Exhibition, Government Center Rotunda Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Noise In The Solitude”, March 6, 2023 through April 27, 2023
• Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, Historic Fifth Street School, Mayors Gallery, City of Las Vegas, Nevada, “The Rabbits”, January 27 through May 7, 2023
• Lift the Sky, Front Porch Gallery, Carlsbad, California, “Love, Connect, Rise”, and “Now is the Time”, January 23 thru March 18, 2023
• 8th Annual Colorful Abstractions Art Competition, Fusion Art Gallery Online, Palm Springs, California, “Waterfront”, January 10 thru March 9, 2023
• Reaching Out, Reaching In, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Seasons”, “Doors in Our Hearts”, ” Two Cities”, Grain of Sand”, “Treasure Hunt”, “Tuesday We Tethered the Sun”, “Fresh Fruit”, “Transcendence One”, “Afternoon Rain, One”, Afternoon Rain, Two”, “Super Sweet”, “Little Zips”, and “Big Zips”, January 5 thru January 28, 2023
2022
• 4th Annual “Use Other Door”, Core Contemporary Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Around the Bend”, and “Passage Between”, August 6 through September 30, 2022
• Stars of the Gallery IV, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Roc On”, Star Dusk”, and “The Beach”, July 1 through August 30, 2022
• Featured Artist-Linda Shaffer, Boulder City Art Galley, May 2022, Boulder City, Nevada
• Reset, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada, “Welcome”, “Breathe”, and “Sail”, March 1 through March 26, 2022
• Year of the Tiger, Historic Fifth Street School, Mayors Gallery, City of Las Vegas, “Water Tiger,” January 27 through May 5, 2022
2021
• Over & Over & Over, Winchester Cultural Art Center, Las Vegas, NV, “Riptide Coming”, December 13, 2021 through January 28, 2022
• American Roulette, Core Contemporary Gallery, “The Bigger”, “The Path”, and “I Have”, November 6, 2021 through January 8, 2022
• A Passionate Life, City of Las Vegas, Nevada, City Hall Chamber Gallery and Grand Gallery, “Go Fish” and “Hopscotch”, October 21, 2021 through January 13, 2022
• Art Comes Alive 2021, Art Design Consultants Cincinnati, Ohio, “Howling to Heaven”, October 23 through December 23,
2021
• Biomorphic Abstraction, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery Las Vegas, Nevada, “Flight Path”, “Grain of Sand”, “Mirage”, September 17 through October 30, 2021
• Fem4, Core Contemporary Gallery Las Vegas, Nevada, “Invisible Web”, “Traveling”, “Treasure Hunt”, “Hope”, “Rise Up”, “Maglev”, “Merging Possibilities”, “Take Flight”, “Desert Breeze”, “Desert Bloom”, “Tuesday We Tethered the Sun”, August 22 through September 25, 2021
• Curated into Priscilla Fowler Gallery, 1300 S. Main St. #110, Las Vegas, NV, August 2021
• Use Other Door, Core Contemporary Gallery, “Bridge Home”and “The Desert Sands Will Warm Us”, June 19 through August 20, 2021
• Pandemic Inspiration, Historic Fifth Street School, Mayors Gallery, City of Las Vegas, “It’s All Connected” and “Perspective”, May 6 through August 2, 2021
• Celebrating Life! 2021, City of Las Vegas, “Riptide Coming”, May 28 through July 10, 2021 April 2021
• Curated into UGallery.com, April 2021
• Fun Size: Art Under Six Inches, published full color book, Jen Tough Gallery Santa Fe, New Mexico, “Halo”, available on Amazon, April 2021
• Women in Art, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, California, “Flowers”, March 4 through March 27, 2021
• Year of the Ox, Historic Fifth Street School, Mayors Gallery, City of Las Vegas, “Metal Ox,” February 10 through May 5, 2021
• Parallel Dimensions Exhibition, Collage Artists of America, “Uprisings,” February 1, to February 28, 2021
Artist Statement:
My method involves experimentation with multiple mediums. I will often use acrylic paint, spray paint, inks, house paint, and fabric paint in the same work. I enjoy incorporating mono prints, antique papers, found paper from traveling, and papers from daily living into my art. It is not uncommon for my art to have fifty layers of paint and paper which I may sand through to reveal the pathways, doors, steps or windows that are common themes in my work.
I was a nurse before I became an artist so many of the themes of my work revolve around the human condition and relationships with the heart. I feel very grateful everyday to be a Creative, now sharing the fun, joy and creative path with my students.
