Shelby Pence has been surrounded by creative energy since she was young. She’s since specialized in printmaking and creates bold, vibrant prints that she sells at local markets. Photo: Brayden Salisbury
When artist and educator Shelby Pence began making art, it wasn’t with the goal of starting a business. It was simply what she loved to do. Pence has been surrounded by creative energy since she was young, exploring different mediums and taking classes throughout grade school before studying graphic design at Salt Lake Community College. She’s since specialized in printmaking and creates bold, vibrant prints that she sells at local markets.
“My mom is an artist, so I had lots of supplies around the house,” she says. “It was a lot of experimentation for a very long time. I made jewelry, sewed, painted, crochet[ed], I did anything that you can think of.” Today, Pence primarily does linocut and Gelli plate printing. Both are processes that create layered designs using ink, stencils and transfers. She also dabbles in cyanotype, a process that uses UV-sensitive chemicals and sunlight to create images based on stencils.
“You don’t need expensive materials to create art. It’s not about what you use, it’s about what you make.”
“In Art 101, the first thing they teach you is the principles and elements of design. I think that having those foundations and building off of them is fun, even though they’re basic.” She experiments with textures, negative space and shape, balancing the elements to craft powerful compositions.
A defining feature of Pence’s artwork is using recycled and accessible materials whenever possible. “You want to be conscious of your impact on the world,” she says. She uses repurposed materials for her collage kits, handmade paper and bookbinding projects. “I’m a wholehearted advocate that you don’t need expensive materials to create art,” she says. “It’s not about what you use, it’s about what you make.”
Pence teaches community classes and leads workshops for Craft Lake City and other local groups. Currently, she is Utah’s only Gelli plate instructor. “I think everyone is creative,” she says. “I give the instructions, but [I] give people the room to find their creativity through those instructions … My favorite part is seeing every single person’s unique artwork, even though we all just learned the same thing.” After almost every class, Pence will leave with copies of her students’ work that she is most impressed with.
“[My mom] is such an inspiration for me. Sharing [art] with her is a significant part of our relationship.”
Shelby Pence builds off of the core principles of design in her artwork. Photo: Brayden Salisbury
After taking a yearlong hiatus from selling at markets, Pence now prioritizes the DIY Fest above all others. “There are so many opportunities within the market to participate in and share your artwork,” she says. “I love the people. It’s fun to sell and participate in something so big and fun.”
This year’s DIY Fest issue features a cover designed by Pence. While brainstorming ideas for the cover, she kept coming back to key words like artisan, maker and creative. “I was thinking about what creativity means to me and the kind of artists that we see,” she says. “I wanted to represent the diversity of the different artists.” Ultimately, she crafted an image that displayed the variety of mediums at the festival, using her passion for simple elements to make each one stand out.
“Every time I doubted myself, someone would reach out with an opportunity.”
Pence’s mom, Courtney Wood, has had a huge impact on her journey. Wood works under the name Arte di Vita and designed last year’s DIY Fest issue cover. “She is such an inspiration for me,” Pence says. “Sharing [art] with her is a significant part of our relationship. We have very different looks, we have a very different audience … but doing it mutually in the same space is so important.”
Looking back, Pence marvels at how her hobby has become a career: “Every time I doubted myself, someone would reach out with an opportunity. It’s a cool reminder that I’m talented and that people appreciate my work,” she says. Now, with five years under her belt, she’s ready to keep building her business and a life that’s imaginative and fulfilling.
You can find Pence’s booth at the DIY Fest from August 8-10, or follow her journey on Instagram at @shelbyartifacts.
