The Wolves Artistic Den

Raised in rural Manitoba, Graphite Artist, Shelley Hayden never truly understood the depth of her talent as a child. It was years after achieving an Advertising Art Diploma from Red River Community College that she began to explore the great many facet’s that a simple but yet complex tool could bring such realism and emotion to her illustrations. The theories of light and art history combined with the basic lessons of drawing in pencil has helped her through the past 26 years to develop and ever-evolving, distinctive style using the medium of graphite. With the encouragement of family and friends, she has continued to stretch the boundaries of her knowledge to produce a quality of realism that brings life and soul into her art. The essence of the person or beloved domestic animal is projected through her careful attention to the eyes and personalized expressions. Being inspired by her environmentally conscious commitment and desire to share the beauty of nature, she created “The Endangered Species Collection”. With just a few photos she can apply her distinct style of graphite realism to custom portraits. She has been commissioned to draw a large variety of subjects from loved ones, friends, animals and even a tractor. Her latest extension of this love of art has led to the development of a series of art instruction programs, for various age groups, that help spread the passion she has for art, self-expression, and building confidence.