About Shayla Ray Art

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   I've been interested in art since I was a kid. I specifically remember drawing animals in 2nd grade and receiving lots of praise from both family and teachers. The encouragement stuck, and I've been drawing ever since. My dad is also an artist, so I grew up seeing his paintings and artwork throughout our home.

In high school I was very involved in music and art programs. I took advanced art classes my junior and senior year and received a scholarship from a local art committee. After high school, I moved to Colorado and attended the Art Institute of Colorado in Denver where I studied Graphic Design for 2 years. Here, I switched focus more to digital art and website design.

   My travels eventually brought me back to my hometown in Missouri, where I rekindled my love for drawing animals in traditional painting mediums. My original art brand was "Sterling Moon Art" named after my dog Sterling at the time, and I painted on things we found in nature during hikes: leaves, feathers, rocks, and shelf mushrooms. I still incorporate the original paw print symbol I used on all my artwork since then.

I now live in Illinois and over the past 15 years I've created paintings in oil, acrylic, and watercolor. My inspiration is the nature around me and my subjects are usually still animals. I love to research the symbolism and meanings associated with the animals I draw. I also still create digital art and logos, so my art skills are quite a mixed bag. There's a little something for everyone here, so if you enjoy seeing art pop up in your news feed from time to time, make sure to follow me on socials! 

   Some of my recent major accomplishments were painting a mural on 3rd Street in Davenport Iowa during the Alternating Currents Festival in 2024.

I was selected as one of 20 artists commissioned by the Putnam Museum in Davenport Iowa for their exhibit Tales from Tails in 2023.