Shea Slemmer (b. 1977) grew up barefoot and unsupervised in the rolling horse country of Ocala, FL, which is another way of saying she learned early that light, space, and weather are serious teachers. After earning her BFA from the University of North Florida, she did what many sensible people do—she ignored stability and followed the work.

Her studios have been in Savannah, GA, Manhattan, and Marfa, TX, which explains both her tolerance for extremes and her refusal to paint small. Shea’s paintings now live in collections across the United States and Europe, quietly rearranging walls and occasionally entire rooms.She has exhibited in solo shows at Sweet Lorraine Gallery in Brooklyn and The Telfair Museum in Savannah, and her work has appeared in Studio Visit Magazine, Atomic Ranch, Luxe, Savannah Magazine, and The South Magazine. Today, she still works the way she grew up—close to the ground, attentive to light, and slightly allergic to unnecessary rules.