Featured VentureMom Shelby Smith Artist

How to create a business during the pandemic? Shelby Smith turned to art. She is a self-taught artist who turned her talent—and passion for color—into a new hobby during the pandemic. 

Shelby established her color theory in the beauty industry. She spent a life-long career developing brands, products, and color stories for companies such as Estée Lauder and L’Oreal. Her last senior role was as the Executive Director of Makeup Marketing for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, working closely with the founder of the brand.

Shelby approaches art from an aesthetic perspective with the goal of evoking in the viewer a sense of joy and delight. Inspired by minimalism and modern abstraction, there is an architectural feel to Shelby’s art. She works with clean lines and precise brush strokes and incorporates an interesting balance of structure and fluidity into her design compositions.

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Color plays a big role. Shelby is fascinated by the emotional power of color. Each one of her paintings has a unique color palette and she typically adds a pop shade to draw the viewer in. 

“The best thing about this type of art is that there are no limitations in size. Color is also a big part of my work. I have always been drawn to bright, bold and saturated colors. And while I have never been trained as an artist, my 30-year career developing products and shades in the cosmetics industry has certainly helped develop my color theory.”

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Shelby works in the large-scale. She loves how simple shapes can have a strong impact when painted on an oversized canvas. Many of her pieces are designed as a set of two or three across multiple panels.

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“At first it was just a hobby. I made art to fill the walls in my own home. Then I started making pieces as gifts for friends. I never wanted to sell my art. It was a pleasure project for me, and I did not want to ruin it by turning it into a business. But I kept getting asked by friends of friends to make them a commission piece. I think there is a real niche in the market for reasonably priced, original art for the purpose of home decoration.” Her work can be found in homes and offices around Connecticut. 

VentureMom Tip

When you have a hobby that there is a demand for, create a business.