Wagner, Shirley Biography Jewelry

Shirley Wagner graduated with a fine art degree from Youngstown University in Ohio. Her favorite art class was sculpture where she developed a love of form and structure. For nearly three decades she has been fabricating wall assemblages in her Tucson, Arizona studio. Her early work in wood was inspired by the art of American artist, Louise Nevelson.

In the last year, she has moved her focus from wall sculpture to self-standing, three-dimensional figurative sculptures. Continuing her ongoing dialogue with form and structure, she now entertains a new narrative revolving around human emotion.

Her work has been widely shown in Arizona including Mesa Contemporary Museum of Art, Tempe Center for the Arts, University Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Pima County Arts Council, the Drawing Studio, and Shemer Art Gallery. Her work can be found in both private and public collections throughout the United States and is in the permanent collection of the Honors College University of Arizona. During her career Shirley has been nominated for the Governor’s Art Award, recognizing her contribution to the arts in Arizona. She is represented by Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, Arizona.

Artist Statement

"With the push and pull of abstracted metal forms, I address contemporary issues including ageism, identity, mortality, wellness and mental health. This dialogue is based on the human condition, a universal theme about human experiences and concerns. It interfaces with my own journey as a mature female artist. Relying on the human form and its ability for meaningful gesture, a narrative unfolds that speaks to the humanity in all of us.”