About Artist Shirley Wallitsch
Shirley Wallitsch is a Wyoming-born artist whose work is deeply rooted in nature and shaped by a lifetime of creative exploration. Her approach is intuitive and expressive, guided by emotion, memory, and a strong connection to the natural world.
Wallitsch's work reflects a journey that has moved through multiple disciplines — from sculpture to painting — and has always been grounded in a desire to explore beyond the surface. Her paintings focus on color, texture, and movement, inviting viewers into a more personal and immersive experience.
Currently living in New Jersey, she is the owner of Wallitsch Art Gallery and Studio in Westfield.
My story...
My journey as an artist began in Sheridan, Wyoming, at the base of the Bighorn Mountains. Surrounded by open sky and wide landscapes, I had the freedom to imagine and create. Looking out at the mountains and up at the stars gave me a sense of wonder that has never faded.
As a teenager, a mentor introduced me to art, music, and philosophy. That experience opened something in me — I knew I wanted more, and I felt a strong pull to go to New York and pursue a life in art.
I hitchhiked east and was accepted into an art guild in upstate New York. It was there that I began to paint. Soon after, I apprenticed with a painter in Manhattan and studied at the Art Students League. Living in New York City and visiting museums, seeing the works I had only read about, was transformative.
Over the course of my journey, I have also worked as a sculptor, using vines and other natural materials to create distinctive pieces. In the 1980s, I founded Vine Works in Westchester County, New York, where I designed and created sculptural furniture and large-scale installations for both private and commercial spaces.
Today, I am the owner of Wallitsch Art Gallery and Studio in Westfield, New Jersey — a working studio and brick and mortar gallery dedicated to showcasing my paintings.
Artist statement...
Inspiration, for me, begins as a feeling — an inner spark that comes from nature, memory, or a moment of quiet awareness.
My paintings are an expression of emotion and a journey of exploration.