Renay Shaffer (Canadian, b. 1973) illustrates nature and animals in a detailed representational style that reflects a deep reverence for her subjects. Born in White Rock, a small seaside town along the west coast of Canada, she formed an early identification with nature. Forests and beaches became a place where she could daydream and process her thoughts, soothed by the constancy of tides and seasons. Her drawing as a young girl was briefly coached and greatly influenced by then-emerging master photorealist painter Rod Penner. After a tumultuous young adulthood her artistic potential was re-awakened at age 30 while attending a drawing class alongside psychology studies. She spent the next decade painting murals, commissions, and a small body of work in her spare time that was shown in many group shows including a solo show “Limited Visibility” at Point Gallery on Saltspring Island, BC. In 2017 she began painting full time. Her artwork is in private collections throughout Canada, the USA, Europe and Australia.

Renay’s artwork will be featured in Strokes of Genius 12 – The Best of Drawing special print issue Fall 2020. She has been featured in American Art Collector and multiple times in International Artist magazine.

In the studio, Renay is balancing a new series of work and a waitlist for commissions. She lives in Bellingham, Washington, USA with her husband Matt and two chatty rescued Siamese cats, acutely aware of the blessing of being able to make art every day.