"To the Max"
Meet the Board
"To
the Max"
Kris
Shaw, one of the newest members of the MTWS Board of Directors, lives in
Havre, Montana, and works as a professional framer. Although Kris is a
self-taught artist, she eagerly attends community art classes. When she
can get away from her demanding schedule, she loves participating in MTWS
workshops.
You
can see Kris’ work at High Plains Gallery in Havre, the Lewistown Art
Center in Lewistown, the MonDak Heritage Center in Sidney, and at Paris
Gibson Square in Great Falls. She works primarily in watercolor; however,
she has talents in other areas as well—pastel painting, wire sculpture,
and jewelry making.
Kris
is the new chair for our Open Memhers show, held each spring at the
Lewistown Art Center. She is responsible for making preparations for the
show and the artist’s workshop.
Anyone
who knows Kris realizes she is a free spirit—this is evident through the
diversity of her artwork. She enjoys exploring new
techniques and pushing the media to learn what she can do. She not one
to shy away from a challenge and enjoys doing whatever people say
“cannot he done.’ All the world and her imagination are references for
her subject matter. Mostly, Kris likes to begin by putting color onto the
paper and then finding he subject—like finding interesting shapes in
clouds.
Her
friend and fellow artist, Becky Ross of Havre, taught her many watercolor
techniques and continues
to encourage her to move on and
explore diverse subject matter.”
Kris grew up with the vibrant influences of Andy Warhol and Peter
Max. She
credits Van Gogh with teaching her that art doesn’t have to be only
realistic painting. Kris embraces colors, shapes, and pure imagination.
Watercolor
and The Artists Magazine are publications Kris reads regularly. She also
enjoys any art hooks she has time to read. She often finds comics and
newspaper articles pertaining to art and enjoys sharing these with
friends.
Most
often, Kris paints on Arches 140 or 300# paper choosing to experiment with
both the cold and hot press varieties. She uses mostly #6 and #10 round
brushes.
Kris reminds us to get in touch with our inner child by opening our minds, by forgetting about boundaries, and by exploring our imaginations. Don’t be afraid to “do your own thing”. Others will respect you for being brave enough to be yourself.
See more of Kris's work online at: http://www.havre.mt.us/art/krisshaw.html