Island Treasures: Shelly Batha Art

Swimming in the ocean, hiking, yoga, and appreciating what’s around her in nature, are some of the things that inspire Shelly Batha’s art.

When Shelly and her husband moved to Hawai‘i Island in 2008 from Bend, Oregon they planned for her to become a stay-at-home mom, so she left her career in the dental field to raise her young son and infant daughter. During this time she started playing around with fused glass as a hobby whenever she could find free time. Shelly’s children are now teenagers, her previous fused glass hobby has now turned into an exciting career as an artist creating beautiful unique one-of-a-kind pieces that are available to purchase in galleries.

Shelly enjoyed art from a very young age. She took many art classes and thatʻs where she fell in love with fused glass. When she moved to Hawai‘i, she bought her first kiln and glass supplies and continued learning on her own until she developed her current style.

When asked what her process is from inspiration to finished art, Shelly shares, “I get most of my inspiration while visiting special places here in Hawai‘i, then go to my art studio and make sketches. Next, I get the glass out and cut each piece by hand, arranging it carefully. Once I’m happy with what I see, I place it in my kiln.” Next, her kiln heats the glass up to 1500 degrees, which fuses the pieces together and makes them smooth. After it cools, she finishes it. Using wood backgrounds to attach her pieces too, she sometimes paints with acrylics and adds shells, too. Shelly buys many of her materials and supplies at Akamai Art Supply in Kona. She often tints, colors, and creates texture in some of her glass herself, commenting, “It’s like painting on glass.”

Shelly concludes, “My art brings me much joy as I create it. I hope my art inspires, uplifts, and brings much happiness and aloha to those who see it. My clients have mentioned, when it’s hanging up, it looks different as the day goes by due to how the light plays off it.”

Shelly’s art is easy to hang and easy to ship. To see her most current works, please visit Aesthetic Hawaii at the Kings’ Shops in Waikoloa.

Shelly Batha Art
shellybatha.com