Shayla Phelps

Bachelor of Fine Arts – Studio

Artist Bio

Shayla Phelps creates custom paintings and digital works that are embedded with a dream-like quality and emotion. There are soft and blended brushstrokes to help portray the dreamy landscapes. As a full-time student at Missouri Southern State University that is graduating in the Spring of 2021, she has been awarded the Katherine Hyde and the Darral Dishman scholarships. She holds the position of Community Service Chair for the Plein Air Society at MSSU. The club focuses on being outdoors and painting the landscape which is a big inspiration to her work. Other inspirations would include everyday life, animation, and video games. 

Artist Statement

This series of paintings depict content and tranquil atmospheres. I chose to do an equal amount of day and night pieces. The day pieces represent the lightweight content feeling while the night pieces have a blanket of tranquility which both provide a safe space. These places are temporary as the reality seeps in through the cracks in the foundation. The magical element just adds to how these are not real places but instead a temporary destination from real life. I used the same vibrant color palette in each painting. The vibrant colors are meant to bring attention and add cohesion to the collection. I used oil paint and focused on very smooth blending with inviting compositions that you could just walk into. It was important to include some sort of seating as well to make it more comfortable. I included vegetation in each painting because I find plants very calming, and I feel that breathes life into the paintings. It’s very important to find time to focus on mental health and set aside time for yourself. I did not include any humans to create a sense of isolation. The only living things are the plants, but they don’t have the same presence as a human would. There is always something going on within the world and people get caught up in their responsibilities. If one focuses on the negative every day and not give themselves a break, one can develop a negative thought pattern. The main purpose of my paintings is to engage you with nature and relax your mind.