In full bloom

“Where Does Creativity Begin” is her subtitle. For Shea, it began with her artist-teacher grandmother, whose garden she loved. Then with her parents who met as art students at San Jose State University, and her uncle, artist and Chicago Art Institute instructor Len Dickson.

Growing up in San Francisco, her mother took her to all the museums and galleries. She even participated in a youth program under famed artist Ruth Asawa.

At UC Davis she took classes with Roland Peterson and studied under Wayne Thiebaud. She greatly admired Thiebaud and his paintings, and treasures a notebook of hers on which he wrote, “You sure can draw!”

How California can you get?

At Davis she worked on the campus paper and jobs designing for various functions.

On graduation, making a living in fine art wasn’t immediately in the cards, so Shea detoured into design, eventually owning her own marketing company with Silicon Valley clients. She’s been a creative director and worked on everything imaginable from signs, to packaging, manufacturing and branding.

“I love colors and shapes,” she says, even down to creating signs for hospitals. That same love carries through her flower paintings.

You won’t miss the influence of Georgia O’Keeffe in Shea’s pastels. It’s no accident. She teaches workshops at the O’Keeffe Museum in New Mexico.

The giant flowers Shea paints are the giveaway. Yet they are every bit her own style. Where O’Keeffe was renowned for the sexuality of her florals, Shea said, “Mine are not erotic, but they are definitely full of passion.” I’ll leave that judgement to you.

There’s clearly passion in the way she masterfully paints her pastels onto those outsize surfaces.

“Men love poppies,” she noted pointing to “California Dreaming.” This man loved the way she glazed strong purple over the brilliant oranges of the California State Flowers. Subtly shimmering.

“The Big Day” bursts with lemon yellow enthusiasm, petals filling the paper surrounding purple stamens.

The magenta hydrangeas in “Love at First Sight” explode across the painting from the first fleurettes in yellow to full fuchsia in the panicle.

A chorus line of blossoms on the branch of “Spring Fever” dance the rhythm of a song sheet in shades of pink against an azure sky.

“For an artist there are always new things. You get to make it up,” Shea said.

Today, she luxuriates in just being a full-time artist and a leader. Her pieces have been featured in juried shows winning awards: Pastel Journal’s “Annual Pastel 100 Competition,” California Art Club, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Society of West Coast Artists, and many more. It’s easy to see why they are so popular.

She served on the Art Bias board. As co-leader on the San Carlos Centennial Mural Project, she got to indulge and expand her excitement for large-scale painting that envelopes the viewer.

Locally, she teaches at Filoli, Pacific Art League, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Art Bias.

By every measure of an artist, you’ll agree that she’s earned her chops.

Beyond all that, she travels the world running marathons.

Her career has been quite the marathon already. She’s a winner, but she’s far from the finish line.

An artist reception will be 2 p.m. Feb. 1, at Art Bias’ First Sunday open house. Expect a demonstration.

You Can Create Too: Shea teaches pastel “Flowers in the Style of Georgia O’Keeffe” the third Saturday monthly at Art Bias. On Feb. 7, she is offering an online class: “O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed in Soft Pastels,” 5-7 p.m. Mountain Time.

Art Bias, 1700 Industrial Road, San Carlos, artbias.org, (650) 593-3177.

Bart Charlow, author and consultant, has been sketching all his life and painting for over 45 years, had a professional photography business, and leads plein air painting groups. Come along as he shares his insights about the local art scene, and bring your sketchbook. His art and story are at: bartsart.weebly.com.