Sandy Shelenberger is an artist from Conneaut, OH whose textile art has been widely exhibited. Sandy’s love of sewing and designing her own creations came together when she took a quilting class in 1984. She began to see quilting as an art form and as a means of self-expression. She hand-dyes much of her fabric and uses surface design techniques such as batik or experimental screenprinting to create her own marks and patterns. In addition to quilting, Sandy has become enamored with working in encaustic and cold wax.
Sandy’s work has been in several publications and juried art exhibits. Sandy has an art quilt accepted into the prestigious Quilt National ’21. Sandy has had work juried into Quilts=Art=Quilts in Auburn, NY in 2019. Sandy’s quilt A Touch of Envy was juried into Visions 2018: Connections and was on exhibit at Visions Art Museum in San Diego, CA. Sandy had work on display in Quilts + Resist: Art, Politic, Storytelling at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, IL. Sandy has been in several “Best of Ohio” exhibitions at Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus, OH. She received the Award for Excellence at the “Best of Ohio” in 2014. She has participated in the Invitational Exhibition “from Woman” yearly at Lakeland Community College. Sandy has had two recent solo exhibitions: Solon Center for the Arts in 2018, and Ashtabula Arts Center in 2017. Sandy’s artwork was juried in to Focus: Fiber 2016 at Kent State University Museum, Kent, OH; and Transgressing Traditions: International Juried Exhibit by Surface Design Association at Schweinfurth Arts Center in Auburn, NY. She also had work exhibited in the prestigious Fiberarts International in Pittsburgh, PA in 2013. Sandy’s quilt received a Juror’s Award of Merit in Quilt National 2005 in Athens, OH.
Sandy is married to husband Jeff. She worked as a Registered Nurse for 33 years and raised two sons. She has actively supported dog rescue and her local Humane Society. Sandy left nursing to pursue her art career in 2014. She currently teaches dyeing, Shibori and surface design techniques on fabric. She teaches at her studio, at Praxis Fiber Workshop in Cleveland, OH, as well as traveling to teach and lecture. She has hosted retreats that explore using encaustic and multimedia techniques. She is a member of Textile Art Alliance, Cleveland Museum of Art, Surface Design Association, Art Quilt Network and the Northwestern Pennsylvania Artist Association. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for the creative process.