A proud Cleveland native, Shelly Svonavec, of Svona Studio, is a professional artist, educator, and development consultant. Starting her career as a high school art teacher, Shelly found passion in connecting with others and utilizing art, not only a way to express, but to process the world around her. With a trained background in painting and experience in ceramics, she cultivates creativity through material use and reimagining concepts with different mediums.

Shelly has taught thousands of humans across the city through her work as a Teaching Artist- focusing on visual arts programming that integrates social emotional learning and entrepreneurship. Building curriculum, training artists, conducting professional developments, and consulting on program development has become an impactful part of her career. Shelly uses art as a vehicle to resonate with the experiences of others and offer them creative ways to navigate through life. 

“Empathy and compassion have driven my purpose within my career, relationships, and interactions since I was a young child. I am continuously enthralled by the journey and resilience of those I meet, especially in the past decade working in various education settings. My inspiration comes from a place of connection, expression, and the intimate qualities of human nature. I often find a visual and physical representation throughout nature- warm wind, brisk air, the reflection of water, and the strength of the land. Whether its through my paintings or ceramic work, the elements of nature and human connection are a continuous through line.”

 Shelly Svonavec 

Svona Studio