Wyoming artist Shelby Shadwell will have his solo exhibition, "EMERGENCY BLANKETS", on display January 18 through February 16 at the Western Illinois University Art Gallery. A reception for the artist will be held Thursday, January 18, 4:30-6:00 p.m. The artist will speak about his work at 5:00 pm. Shadwell will also be giving a drawing demonstration in the Gallery 10:00 am – 4:00 pm before his reception. Shelby is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Wyoming. Born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, Shelby received his BFA in 2003 from Washington University in St. Louis and his MFA in 2006 from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. A two-time recipient of the Visual Arts Fellowship from the Wyoming Arts Council, Shelby actively exhibits across the nation. His more recent exhibitions include LIKE AND SHARE IF YOU AGREE!!!, a solo show at the South Bend Museum of Art, DRAWN at Manifest Creative Research Gallery in Cincinnati, OH, and Drawing Discourse at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Shelby was awarded a solo exhibition at the APEX Space at the Portland Art Museum in OR in 2016, and his work is included in their permanent collection. For his research sabbatical from 2021 – 2022, Shelby accepted the Manifest Artist Residency Award, and he spent the year making new work at their Gallery and collaborating on educational opportunities at their Drawing Center in Cincinnati, OH. Shelby was recently honored with the Stone & Deguire Contemporary Art Award in the amount of $25,000 from his alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis. Current and upcoming 2023 solo exhibition venues include Artworks Contemporary Art Center in Loveland, CO, STRATA Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, the Firehouse Art Center in Longmont, CO, and the Kentler International Drawing Space in Brooklyn, NY. Admission is free and open to the public.