Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Corso.
Hi Shelby, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in New York City, and grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, which means I spent a lot of time looking at art as a kid. My Grandmere and my Mother are both artists, so they always encouraged a lot of creativity with different projects and trips to museums and galleries. I remember always wanting to be a painter, but I didn’t take any classes or start seriously thinking about making art until I was 18 and a freshman in college. I started off at a school called Pace University (right next to the Brooklyn Bridge), where I decided to major in studio art. I was exposed to the contemporary art world in a completely different light, and I knew that I wanted to learn as much about making art and art history as I possibly could. So, I transferred to the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, because I wanted a more intense experience with the materials, and I knew that they would have much longer courses. I ended up majoring in Painting and minoring in Art History, which was fascinating and challenging in so many ways. I was in my last semester of senior year at MICA when the pandemic hit in 2020 and everyone had to leave school. So, I moved back home with my parents who had by that time relocated to Charleston. I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to move next, so I decided to see what the Charleston art scene had to offer. I had heard great things about the Redux Contemporary Art Center, so I decided to apply for a studio. Since moving into Redux, I have had the space and opportunity to grow my practice, show my work more, and be a part of a wonderful community there.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been some obstacles along the way, yes! Since I was a transfer student at MICA, I was very close to not having the credits to graduate on time with my major. Painting was a pretty intense track, and it required a lot of major specific courses that were usually spread out in a particular order over the four years that most students were there for. Thankfully, I had an amazing advisor who helped me organize my schedule so that I could graduate on time with my class. Other than that, which was a very literal obstacle, there is also the challenge of figuring out what you want to do with your life and your newly earned art degree! The idea of supporting yourself as an artist can be very daunting, especially when most of the world is shut down due to a global disaster. When I first graduated, I felt like I was floating around aimlessly, so while I decided whether or not I wanted to pursue the studio-artist life right away, I worked full time in a kitchen downtown. I have learned to stop thinking so far ahead, to just envision what I want my day to day life to look like, and to decide what I am willing to compromise on or not as opportunities and challenges arise. I am so beyond grateful at this point to have my current day to day life, which consists of teaching and making art!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist, and my primary medium is painting. My favorite is definitely oil paint because I love its texture and its workability, and the colors are always so velvety and visceral. I make sculptures, most notably soft-sculptures, which are typically hand-sewn and stuffed with recycled plastic bags and newspaper. I also write poems that tend to influence my paintings, all of which are based on my day to day experiences in my internal world. I love to make work about nature, and humanity’s oneness with it. I explore myth making, and creating visual spaces through light, color, and atmosphere that seek to describe the emotional and overall phenomenological experience of being an earthling. I think it is really important to see the beauty and independent intelligence of nature so that we might seek to protect it more. I also am an educator, which I absolutely love. I find that working with children and teens helps me both sharpen my technical skills because I have to demonstrate them a lot, and they really help me challenge my own tastes and question the boundaries of “high” vs. “low” art. They are also just really deep (often by accident) and I love that! It is incredibly rewarding to watch their skills and confidence grow, and to hear about how their worldview broadens over time through their art making.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love the idea of collaborations on projects, pieces, exhibitions, etc. and I am always reachable through my Instagram DMs or my email. If someone wanted to learn how to paint or draw, they could take lessons with me through Redux! They would just have to email to inquire about lessons and we could get it set up really easily! Ways to support me, or any artist, could be through following me on Instagram or looking into purchasing work through a DM or an email.
Contact Info:
- Website: shelbycorso.com
- Instagram: @shelbyteddicorso
