Shelby Nower
Public Artist. Muralist. Fine Artist.
Shelby Nower is a muralist and illustrator who specializes in creating whimsical, colorful characters. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she has been working as a public artist in Decatur, Indiana for the past six years.
Shelby graduated from Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis with a Drawing and Illustration major and Art History minor in May of 2020. She became involved in public art her junior year of college, when she interned with Decatur sculptor and gallery director Greg Mendez. Through this experience, she learned how to design, create, and install art pieces for the community to enjoy. Shelby continues to help run the gallery they started, Gallery 40.8, as a member of the creative group Artisan Collective Enterprise 40.8 (ACE 40.8).
In 2020 and 2021, Shelby served as the Art Director of The Hive, an art gallery and makerspace in the heart of downtown Decatur. During her time as Art Director, she created the Hive's logo and branding, organized gallery shows and events, and built a connection with the local artists.
Shelby has permanent pieces on display in the Indiana Statehouse, and in the President's office at Indiana Tech. Her work has been shown in the Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk and the Decatur Sculpture Tour, and has been featured in Indianapolis’ Genesis Magazine, Input Fort Wayne Magazine, Herron Wearable Art Show, and several exhibitions at ACE 40.8.
Though she has worked in several different areas of public art, from sculpture to sign-making, murals are her specialty. Shelby has left her mark all over the walls and alleyways of Indiana, bringing her imaginative creations to life. Her favorite things to paint are large-scale vivid characters with eccentric hair.
In her free time, she enjoys watching Edward Scissorhands for the hundredth time, and playing with her Saint Bernard, Watson.