Shea lives near the shores of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin and identifies as a queer parent, artist, water protector, abolitionist, water protector, and community organizer. In recent years, she jumped ship from the path she was on to focus on her practice as a textile artist and quilter, an arena in which she has quickly gained traction as an exhibiting artist and teacher. Shea’s work draws upon the generations of quilters in her family and she enjoys pushing the boundaries of quilts as art versus craft.
Her commitment to social justice is often communicated through her work, such as in her Water Protector Series which centers Indigenous resistance to the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline threatening the waters, lands, and communities throughout the Great Lakes.
Furthermore, her map based art draws upon her background in wetlands science and use of technology to connect people to the times, places, and experiences that give a feeling of belonging and connection in this beautiful, devastating world.
Shea is also a strong improvisational artist. Her process often involves fast piecing followed by hours of slow hand quilting using a long needle and handmade palm thimble to add dense texture, visual interest, and care to each quilt. Shea is currently working on a new series called Rest & Resistance to remind us that rest and self-care are radical acts of resistance and sometimes, the most important thing we can do is to hold one another under the comfort of a handmade quilt.
Her quilt “Rock Harbor, Isle Royale” received a Special Recognition award by Karlee Porter in Duluth, MN in 2024 and was exhibited at QuiltCon in Phoenix, AZ in 2025. In the past couple of years she has taught over a dozen workshops including with the Grand Marais Art Colony, Minnesota Maritime Art Museum, Washburn Cultural Center & Museum, and to quilt guilds in the midwest. In 2027 she will be teaching at QuiltCon in Atlanta, GA.
