Dorothy Bury Shaw creates incredible worlds in her work

Dorothy Bury Shaw, an accomplished creative, has been a resident artist of Water Street Studios since October of this year. “Active in the Chicago area art community, I have always heard great things about Water Street Studios,” she says. “I participated in an exhibit there, Her Story, several months ago and felt a strong kinship with the Water Street artist community. You see, I had recently left a space I shared with two other artists at the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago after ten years of doing art fairs. Water Street Studios felt like a perfect fit for me. A space became available, and I couldn’t be happier now that I’m part of this great community.”

As a young child, Bury Shaw discovered her artistic ability through free, unadulterated expression. “I loved to make art and make messes,” she says. “I melted crayons on our radiator to watch the wax drips and create pretty patterns. My parents didn’t approve. In school I was prone to doodling, and when doing a paper, I sometimes added some drawings to enhance it. It’s part of me, and it longs to be expressed.”

Bury Shaw has built a solid foundation in the Batavia community for more than two decades as her interior design business mostly served clients in the town. “Batavia has a strong art presence and supports all the arts in many ways,” she says. “This is something I embrace; it is so critical in a thriving community.”

In her history as an accomplished artist, Bury Shaw reflects on the mural she completed for the Oswego Elementary School in 1993 as one of her most challenging projects to date. “It was very successful, in a style I used as an illustrator,” she says. “Bringing fun, beauty, and inspiration to the young students was the biggest reward.”

Last year, Bury Shaw suffered a back injury which threw quite a wrench in her everyday life. Still, she managed to continue producing art. “After my injury, I created a small 3D work, painting, drawing, and applying collage on a found object,” she says. “It became a turning point for me, returning to my art with new energy.”

In the community, Bury Shaw believes in the utmost importance of artistry and creativity for everyone. “The presence of art in a community uplifts it, distinguishes it from any other area, gives the town a heartbeat, a living, beating presence that energizes and welcomes those present,” she says.