Shirley Yang Crutchfield

Shirley is a Chicago-based artist who integrates her dynamic career as a tech entrepreneur with her passion for creating art. She has been awarded multiple international art prizes, recognizing her exceptional talent and vision. Shirley started her career as a successful tech founder and executive. She sold her company to follow her childhood aspiration of becoming an artist.

Her work is influenced by Byzantine art, Baroque and contemporary aesthetics, fashion, and the portrayal of strong female figures. Previously as a female entrepreneur navigating a competitive industry, Shirley's experiences inspire her to create narratives that highlight the hard work, tenacity and perseverance required to reach the top.

Shirley successfully employs the traditional 14th-century Italian water gilding technique, "doratura a guazzo," in her art, acquired from Master Guilders worldwide. This expertise allows her to craft astonishingly detailed works adorned with 24K gold leaf, elevating her paintings in realms of beauty and significance. Through her art, her detailed craftsmanship and use of materials, she celebrates the strength and resilience behind success, inviting viewers to appreciate the stories that lie beneath the surface.

Awards & Exhibitions

Featured Artist Exhibition, Homiens, March 2025

LA Art Show, Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 2025

In View 2025, The Art Center, Highland Park, IL, Jan. 2025

Best in Show, Annual Juried Exhibition, LaGrange Art League, 2024

Small Works Group Show, Chicago Fine Art Salon, Chicago, IL, Dec. 2024

2nd Women Only Exhibition, Blue Koi Gallery, Nov. 2024 

14th Open Art Exhibition, Light Space Time Gallery, Nov. 2024

By the Foot, Echo Park Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Nov. 2024 

Figurative Art Exhibition Group Show, Dacia Gallery, New York, NY, Nov. 2024

Small Works Exhibition, Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, Nov. 2024 

3rd Prize Winner, Gallery 4 Percent “Anything & Everything”, 2024

Special Recognition, Light Space Time Gallery, 2024

Honorable Mention, Blue Koi Gallery 2nd Women Only Exhibition 2024

Anything & Everything Exhibition, Gallery 4 Percent, San Francisco, CA, Oct. 2024

Annual Juried Exhibition, LaGrange Art League Gallery, LaGrange, IL, Sep. 2024