Shelley Birkholz is a pioneering artist based in Ottawa, Canada, whose guiding principle is: “discovery follows exploration”. 

This led to her utilization of yarn to depict sensitive observations of nature. A description of Birkholz’s practice must specify what it is not, i.e., arts such as painting, embroidery, or felting. Instead, Birkholz glues varieties of yarn to panel, from wool to synthetic blends, working thousands of strands to create remarkably rich textural and tonal landscapes.

Birkholz’s alternating use of contrast and subtle shifts is sometimes dramatic; other times spacious and soothing; always alive and arresting.