Shelby Leigh Kizer
Shelby Leigh Kizer is a professional watercolor and acrylic artist based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she lives with her husband, Zach, and their two daughters, Andi and Kit. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art degree from William Carey University in 2018.
Shelby’s artistic journey is marked by both pause and renewal. Though she loved creating as a child, she set art aside during her middle school years after comparing her abilities to those of her peers. Nearly a decade later, during her junior year of college, she returned to the studio in search of direction and purpose. That return became a turning point. Through experimentation and freedom of expression, she rediscovered not only her love for art, but a visual language uniquely her own—one that embraces scribbles, imperfections, and joyful exploration.
Her work is deeply inspired by her Christian faith and the natural world. Shelby creates colorful, whimsical, and expressive interpretations of botanicals and landscapes, primarily using watercolor on paper and acrylic on canvas. Each piece reflects a balance of playfulness and intention, inviting viewers into moments of wonder, rest, and reflection.
Shelby believes she is created in the image of Jesus Christ and that her creativity is a gift from Him and for Him. As she works through each painting, she experiences art as a form of spiritual practice—one through which God shapes her heart and brings forth messages of encouragement, scripture, and truth. These moments often become woven into her work, which she feels called to share with others.
She believes wholeheartedly that God led her back to art, and she prays that He is glorified through every piece she creates.
