Song of Life: Shelley Amsel Exhibition

Exhibition Opening: FRI MAY 10 | 6-9PM
On View: FRI MAY 10 – SAT JUN 15

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Welcome to a captivating journey through the vibrant world of Shelley Amsel, a figurative painter with over 40 years of artistic exploration. In the exhibition Song of Life, Amsel invites you to immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of color and movement that has fueled his creative passion.

The exhibition is a celebration of life’s moments—scenes that resonate with personal connections, the warmth of friendship, the embrace of family, and the joy of dancing. As you explore the exhibition, be prepared to be transported into Amsel’s unique perspective. Join us in celebrating Shelley Amsel’s extraordinary talent and his ability to transform everyday experiences into a visual symphony of color and movement.

Artist Bio
Born in Simpson, PA in 1935, Shelley Amsel’s artistic journey took shape amidst his education at Jefferson Medical School and subsequent residency in Philadelphia. Concurrent with his medical studies, Amsel pursued courses in drawing and painting at the Fleisher Art Memorial, laying the foundation for his dual passions in medicine and the visual arts. Upon his relocation to Baltimore in 1974, Amsel actively sought mentorship from esteemed artists Carolyn Harader Blaisdell and Glenn F. Walker, both distinguished alumni of the Maryland Institute College of Art. Retiring from medicine in 2011, Amsel redirected his energy and focus towards painting, committing almost daily to his craft. His artworks have been shown in various exhibitions around Baltimore, including solo exhibitions at the Amalie Rothschild Gallery at The Creative Alliance, Gallery 1448, and Project 1628, as well as numerous group exhibitions as a member of the art collective Art10 Baltimore.

As a figurative painter, he draws inspiration from the German Expressionists, infusing his work with emotive depth through the adept manipulation of color, line, composition, irony, and humor. Amsel’s artistic influences are broad-ranging, encompassing the visual language of revered painters such as Matisse, De Kooning, Diebenkorn, and Kirchner. Utilizing acrylic paint and oil sticks on canvas and paper, he explores themes derived from his immediate surroundings, interwoven with elements of fantasy and dreams.