University alumna and artist Shelly Denning has always had an innate desire for creativity. She once went to the art teacher at her junior high and asked to do the art assignments in his class despite not being enrolled in it, just so she could improve.
Denning has been partaking in art her whole life and works with so many mediums, she said it’s easier to list the things she has not done.
“I do a little bit of everything, I like to make stuff,” Denning said. “With my personality, I don’t like doing the same thing over and over. I’ve seen some artists that have a very specific thing. There’s this one guy that just paints houses in blue […] and it’s just over and over and over, and that would drive me absolutely bonkers. I thrive on variety.”
The creative said her favorite part about her creations is seeing the finished product. She said it’s enjoyable to watch something come from nothing. Denning often starts out feeling hopeful when she begins a new project but said she always hits an obstacle of belief in the project that she has to force herself to keep working through.
“Talking about that hurdle, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received from an art teacher […] was ‘Don’t let it become precious,’” Denning said. “When I get to that hump […] I’m like, ‘Okay, I hate it now, I could just throw it in the trash, or I can keep going.’”
After going back and forth between different things, Denning landed on her current business, Shelly’s Artspace. It will eventually become a brick-and-mortar location, but because she doesn’t have the funds for the venture yet, the business currently consists of craft parties, classes or workshops focusing on different mediums.
“I tell her sometimes she gives us too many ideas because she’s so creative, and she just is constantly coming up with new ideas,” Elaine Lewis, Denton resident and Shelly’s Artspace assistant, said. “She’s very educated in a lot of different styles and mediums, and so she gives us options of many different kinds of paint or many different types of the things we can do stuff on.”
Lewis discovered the craft parties through Facebook when she moved to Denton a few months ago and says Denning helped integrate her to the town. She says that Denning is very positive and encouraging, as well as a significant supporter of the community.
Lewis started as a participant in the events, and now Denning calls her an assistant.
“[Denning has] got me teaching a class and 17 people are going to be there,” Lewis said. “So I went from three months ago, not having any idea how to do a mandala and what dot art was or anything like that, and now I’m teaching a class and I love it.”
At the brick-and-mortar location, there will be studio space for rent, art classes, a gallery and more. Denning said her idea is unique because she will use the “yogurt shop method” regarding higher-quality art supplies. This method would allow students to only pay for the supplies they used by the weight of it, as Denning knows some students don’t have access to those kinds of supplies otherwise.
“They think that they are not a good artist because the quality of their work in the end is not what it could be,” Denning said. “So I would love to help these students be able to use higher quality supplies so they don’t get so discouraged and think that they’re the problem. They’re not the problem, it’s the supplies.”
Denning has been in Denton for approximately 10 years and said she didn’t realize what Denton was “all about” before living here. Once she got involved with the town, she discovered how prominent the arts were within the area. She says she’s never been as engaged in a city as she has in Denton.
“I just love how open the community is to supporting [the arts], I’m actually on the Greater Denton Arts Council board now, and it’s nice to be on that side of things and being able to help make a difference,” Denning said. “I’m somewhat involved with the Arts and Jazz Festival as well, and I think because [Denton is] so welcoming to the arts, you can get away with just about anything art related here.”
Denning says other artists inspire her, and she loves seeing creations she hasn’t seen before. When she sees them, she wants to know how to create them and will do deep dives on YouTube to find out.
“One of the cool things about Shelly is that she hasn’t locked herself into one signature style, she wants to do everything,” Kyleen Hjembo, Denton resident and Denning’s friend, said. “In a way it’s very freeing for her art because she hasn’t locked herself into these very strict sets of rules like, ‘Oh I only paint with acrylics.’ […] She’s always working on new forms, and the other thing is that she loves to collaborate, and she loves to work with other people, and she wants art to be for everybody.”
Hjembo said that Denning’s work is very personalized, and the heart Denning brings to her pieces or other creative endeavors is one of the great things about her work.
Denning said she hopes to begin reaching out to investors, grants and whoever else could help her succeed for the permanent location of Shelly’s Artspace in January of next year. Her current goal is to have the actual space by June, and her ultimate goal is to have a Shelly’s Artspace in every central town in America.
“I’ve got a little sticky note, I keep little notes next to my desk here,” Denning said. “One of them says, ‘Dream big.’ Because why not? You know, don’t keep it little.”
