I reclaim vinyl street banners from our consumer culture because they hold the stories, excess, and visual language of the world we inhabit. These discarded materials are evidence of our habits, desires, and environmental impact. Rather than viewing them as waste, I treat them as raw material—objects with potential to be reimagined, repaired, and revalued.
Transforming these materials challenges the throwaway mindset that defines contemporary life. I want to reveal that what we overlook or discard can still hold beauty, meaning, and vitality. My process becomes an act of reclamation—an intentional slowing of consumption, a way of honoring materials, and an invitation for viewers to reconsider the value of what we consume and abandon.
Ultimately, I transform these remnants because doing so allows me to turn environmental concern into visual poetry, where what was once waste becomes a work of art that carries reflection, narrative, and the possibility of change.


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Bio
​Shelley Heffler has been creating art since childhood, crafting tissue paper flowers, drawing chalk designs on sidewalks, and sketching endlessly with a pencil in hand. Born and raised in the Bronx, she found inspiration in her mother’s knitting, marveling at how a simple string could transform into something beautiful. As a young girl, she ventured into New York City on trains, discovering the Metropolitan Museum of Art and enrolling in Saturday classes at the Art Students League. 
 
Shelley pursued her creative passions by studying interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She began her career designing carpets for Edward Fields, where she honed her skills as a painter and colorist. At 21, she moved to Los Angeles for work, eventually marrying and living abroad in Barcelona, Spain, before embarking on an overland journey to India and back—a transformative experience that deepened her appreciation for cultural diversity and artistry.  
 
Shelley earned a Master’s in Fine Art from Cal State Northridge and dedicated over 25 years to teaching and mentoring students. Her artistic work has been widely exhibited, including at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art rental gallery and the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery. Recent highlights include her large-scale installations in New York City, such as the ‘Taking Flight’ series in the Saatchi building, and commissions for private clients using repurposed materials.  
 
Now based at her studio in Cathedral City, California, Shelley continues to create eco-conscious art that emphasizes sustainability and community connection. Her work, blending vibrant colors and innovative materials, inspires reflection and dialogue, resonating with audiences in public spaces, galleries, and private collections worldwide.  
These works are one-of-a-kind original work of art. All copyrights and reproduction rights are retained by the artist and may not be reproduced by any process or medium without express permission form the artist.