Bio
Shea Proulx has a BFA from Emily Carr University and an MFA from the University of British Columbia. Through tracing and repetition, Shea constructs autobiographical visual narratives that transcend the boundaries of individual lived experience. Her books ABC Monstrosity and Alice at Naptime were both nominated for the Best Illustrated category by the Alberta Book Publisher’s Association, and Alberta Comics: Home, which she co-edited and did the cover art for, won the award in 2023. Among the Fine Arts galleries that Shea’s paintings and installations have been exhibited are The Morris and Helen Belkin, The Alberta Art Gallery, TRUCK, and Contemporary Calgary. As Vice-President on the board of directors for Panel One, a Calgary/Mohkinstsis based comics festival, Shea helps put the spotlight on local, original sequential artwork. Her two daughters and husband, artist Ryan Proulx, routinely make her laugh so hard she spits.
Shea Proulx - Curriculum Vitae
Shea Proulx 403-880-4703 sheaproulx@gmail.com
@SheaProulx. on social media
www.sheaproulx.com
Education
2009 Masters of Fine Arts, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
2006 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver.
Teaching Experience
2019 -2023 Sequential art workshops at Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, AB. Ranging between18+ nights, 12-and-up workshops, and the Contemporary Kids program.
2022 Artist in Residence at Escuela Eugene Coste in coordination with The Calgary Opera, facilitating set, prop, and costume design.
2019 Collider, an eight-week residency at Contemporary Calgary.
2015-on Drawing lessons as a parent-volunteer, various topics, Eugene Coste School, Calgary, AB
2019 Presentations for grades K-2 and 7-9 at High Level Public School (with per diem and travel compensation), High Level, AB
2015-2019 Weekly comic-book workshop at Braeside Second Cup, Calgary, AB
2018 Comics theory and practice, presentation, St Bonaventure, Calgary, AB
2017 Colouring-workshop, corporate event for Calgary Family Day Homes, Calgary, AB
2016 Lecture on interdisciplinary work, The Renert Centre, Calgary, AB
2015 Adult-colouring workshop, Vin Gogh, Calgary.
2015 Author visit, Learning-Tree Preschool, Calgary.
2009 Science and art cross-over field-trip, co-developed with John Mee, UBC.
2007-2008 Teaching Assistant at The University of British Columbia (UBC).
2002-2004 Swimming Instructor at the Talisman Centre and Stanley Park, Calgary, AB
Membership
2018-present Vice-president on the Panel One board of directors, a non-profit festival and community-building organization for Canadian comic-book creators.
2021-present Appointed to the Calgary Board Of Education Artist Roster.
2021-present Member of the Young Alberta Book Society, a curated selection of authors who can be contracted to facilitate workshops in Alberta schools.
Selected Exhibition History
2023 Home and Migration. Art Gallery of Alberta. Edmonton, AB.
2023 See Me, Hear Me. Sparrow Artspace. Calgary, AB.
2023 Since We Saw You Last. TRUCK Contemporary Art. Calgary, AB.
2022 The Peoples Portrait Project. cSPACE, nvrlnd, Contemporary Calgary.
2022 Creative Wellness. Canopy Studios. Calgary.
2020 Planetary. Contemporary Calgary. Calgary.
2010 New Forms Festival and CODE Live. The Great Northern Way Campus, Vancouver, BC.
2009 The Dead 2. Great Northern Way Studios, Vancouver.
2009 Interrobang. MFA graduation exhibition, The Morris and Helen Belkin, Vancouver.
2008 Being There and Elsewhere, OrganHaus art space, Chongqing, China.
Published Works
2020 ABC Monstrosity. Renegade Arts Entertainment.
2019 Alice At Naptime. Renegade Arts Entertainment.
Curatorial
2022 Alberta Comics: Home. Renegade Arts Entertainment. Edited by Alexander Finbow, Emily Pomeroy and myself. I also did the intro, artist pages, cover and book design.
2022 Judging position for “The Egghead,” the children’s book category for the Doug Wright Awards, presented in conjunction with the Toronto Comic Festival.
Presentations
2019-present Exhibition spots at comic conventions in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and High Level, Alberta. Showcasing published and self-published works, and appearing in panel discussions.
2015-present Events at Shelf Life Books (Calgary), Owl’s Nest Books (Calgary), Legends Books (Victoria), Red Skull Comics (Calgary), and Pomegranate Community Midwives (Vancouver) to promote my books and anthologies.
Bibliography
2020 "Late, Late, For a Very Important Date" Birthing. (Summer) Published by Birth Unlimited. Edited by Nicole Bross. I contributed an essay with illustrations. Pages 44-46.
2019 "The Art/Life Balance: Keeping Odd Hours" Birthing. (Summer) Published by Birth Unlimited. Edited by Nicole Bross. Essay with illustrations. Pages 40 and 41.
2017 "Is This Allowed? Having Babies and Making Art." Birthing. (Spring). Published by Birth Unlimited. Edited by Nicole Bross. Essay with Illustrations. Pages 44 and 45.
2016 ABC/123 Monstrosity. Hillgrove Books.
2015 Alice In The Womb: a Colouring Book. Hillgrove Books.
Grants
2023 Calgary Arts Development Professional Microgrant – to frame eleven paintings.
2022 Canada Council Explore and Create Grant – to create ten large paintings based on sketchbook drawings I did while supervising my children in public spaces.
2019 Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travel Grant - to promote "Alice At Naptime" at the Toronto Comics Arts Festival (TCAF).
Awards
2023 Alberta Comics: Home received the “Book Illustration” award from the Alberta Book Publishers Association.
2022 Cover art for Alberta Comics: Home Awarded first place in the “Watercolour” category by the jury at the People’s Portrait Project, and third place overall.
2021 ABC Monstrosity in was nominated in the “Children’s and Young Adult” category and “Book Illustration” by the Alberta Book Publishers Association of Alberta.
2019 Alice At Naptime was nominated in the “Book Illustration” category by the Alberta Book Publishers Association of Alberta.
2008 The B.C. Binning Drawing Scholarship, UBC.
Commercial Credits
2006 Mural for The L-Word, a Showcase television drama, Vancouver, BC.