ARTIST BIO
Shena L. Sloboda
Over the course of her life Sloboda has resided in Chester County and Hazleton, PA, and the cities/towns of Ypsilanti, Naubinway, Paradise, and Sault Ste Marie, MI. She has been a member of the Chester County Art Association and is a current member of the Sault Area Arts Council.
Inspired by nightly "drawing time" before bed as a child, and regular trips to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, she had early instruction with artists Chris Chadwick and Mary Beaumont at Chester County Art Association. Within Secondary education she completed Advanced Placement Studio Art, scoring a 5/5 after national board portfolio review. Her work has been exhibited at Chadds Ford Historical Society, Chester County Art Association, Norristown Art League, Afif Gallery (South St., Philadelphia location), LSSU Library Gallery, Alberta House Arts Center, Bonifas Arts Center, 1668 Winery and Lockside Brewery, Erickson Center for the Arts, as well as Art Gallery Algoma.
Notable awards received include:
-Best of Show at Chadds Ford Historical Society in the 1996 youth show
-William Borer Award by Norristown Art League
-2nd Place at the Alberta House juried show in 2014, then 3rd Place in 2019
-3rd Place at LSSU Arts Center's 5x7 exhibition in 2014, then 2nd in 2018
-Royce's Choice Award, then 2nd Place in online shows at ArtisTTableOnline.com
-1 of 4 artists selected for SaveArtSpace U.S. 2 billboards.
(Featured the duration of Summer 2020 , between Gould City and St. Ignace after open call for regional artist submissions)
-3rd Place at Bonifas Arts Center's Northern Exposure XXX in 2023
Sloboda's primary focus has remained impressionism throughout her career. The greatly varied landscapes of the U.P. contribute inspiration, as well as memories gleaned from skylines, pensive moments, and mundane drives one experiences within their daily transit. Her work is not merely representational, but executed with attempt to depict energy sensed traversing the ether within a scene with errant yet intentional strokes popping through the traditionally laid out brushing of oils/acrylics atop a black primed substrate.