Shipley, Roger

I was born in Cleveland Ohio in 1941 the youngest son of Reginald, MD and Louise Zschiesche Shipley. I am the youngest of three children. Richard, Ann and Roger. I was interested in art at a very early age working with wood making various objects and working with water-based mediums making two-dimensional pieces. I was encouraged by my mother to take summer classes at the Cleveland Institute of Art where I took design and life drawing classes. In high school I took various art courses and was quite sure I wanted to go on in art.

My college experience at Otterbein College, 1960 to 1964, introduced me to serious study in two and three dimensional art and art history. I also took the opportunity to study at the Columbus Art Institute and Fontainebleau School of Music and Fine Arts in Fontainebleau, France where I took additional drawing and painting courses. After four years at Otterbein with a major in Art and a minor in French I went to the Cleveland Art Institute, 1965 and took painting and sculpture courses. In 1965, I entered Cranbrook Academy of Art where I studied painting, printmaking, and sculpture. I received my MFA in 1967 with a major in painting and a minor in printmaking.

My teaching experience started in 1967 when I was offered a job teaching painting and printmaking at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Throughout these past 40 years I have taught art and worked as a fine artist making and showing my art in many galleries and exhibitions throughout the United States. It has been a very rewarding experience and one that I would do over again if the opportunity were given to me.