About

Artist Statement
My work is an exploration of the delicate friction within the human experience—where play and whimsy serve as essential pathways through isolation, anxiety, and awkwardness.  Painting with a naive style to render portraits and figures through abstract brushstrokes, these works seek to reconnect with the inner child. They inhabit the cross over between childhood innocence and the complex emotional undercurrents of adult life, using themes like the exhilarating freedom of surfing as a recurring metaphor for navigating those deeper, unpredictable waters.


Biography
Shay (b.1970) is a Hawaii-based artist living in Kalapana, at the foot of Kilauea. Drawing inspiration from both the natural beauty of the islands and her own experiences, she works primarily in acrylics, oils, and charcoal.  Shay studied drawing and painting at the University of Hawaii Manoa and has since exhibited her work across Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island, including the prestigious Schaefer Portrait Challenge 2022, The Hui No’eau Annual Juried Exhibition 2022 and the Hawaii Nei show 2023.