Shelley Vanderbyl

Shelley Vanderbyl (b. 1985) is a conceptual painter living in Canada. She creates mixed-media fresco paintings and miniatures as standalone pieces and components of installation, performance, and relational aesthetics. The broad scope of her artwork is fueled by an unwavering desire to bring hope and comfort to others. Informed by neuroaesthetics and imbued with awe, her work sits at the intersection of arts and health, both mental and physical. Vanderbyl’s experiences of being a preventative surgery “previvor”- then also undergoing cancer treatment between frequent moves as a military wife and mother of three, have given her ample opportunities to test the efficacy of the “medicine” she creates. Her artwork provides an immersive therapeutic experience within public galleries, clinics and homes. It is meant to create a beautiful, thoughtful space for the viewer to process difficult circumstances more easily. Her artwork in the famed New Karolinska Hospital is part of the Stockholm public art collection. Vanderbyl’s work has been exhibited in many public galleries in Canada and abroad. 2016 Crepuscular Rays was presented to Royals Prince Edward and Lady Sophie at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Winnipeg. Her work has been featured in over 18 publications around the globe. Particularly interested in aiding people experiencing post-traumatic stress, Shelley asks the question, “If what someone has seen can break a person, can an image be a part of their healing?”