Shelby Marzoni – Solo Exhibition

I Know I Am But What Are You?

March 4–28th, 2026
Reception: March 13th, 5–7 PM

THE EAST COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION IS PROUD TO PRESENT
SHELBY MARZONI’S SOLO EXHIBITION

Exhibition Statement

This exhibition is a survey of my emotional and philosophical reactions
to world events and my surroundings during the pandemic years 2019-2022.
Some pieces which belong to these series are more recent.

The first series, From Angst to Relief, was born of my own frustration
with the total shutdown of public life and the strife this engendered in our
nation and around the world. I felt powerless, as an older woman, to say
anything impactful about these things. Watching stand up has always provided
a cathartic outlet for such feelings. Since stand-up comics seem to get away
with saying most anything they want, I began to find my voice in their faces as
they expressed rage, disgust, defiance and alternatively, relief and joy. I
carefully chose for my inspiration the expressions I most wanted to capture
while photographing Netflix specials.

Cat Apocalypse is a narrative series that employs the device of heroic
cats to tell a fable of a world at ease disturbed by visions of impending doom.
Disaster happens, and the cats run for their lives. After searching for higher
wisdom, the heroes find hope in the end, finally stepping up to rewire the
world’s collective mourning into joy.

The hero of Xhaaad’s Terrestrial Adventure is a young extraterrestrial
named Xhaaad who chooses Earth as their destination for their coming-of-age
challenges. Xhaaad assumes a body that would enable them to thrive on this
planet, but at the same time to differ sufficiently from humans as to elicit some
kind of reaction. Xhaaad’s challenge is to assimilate and befriend members of
their host race with acceptance and empathy. From their first aerial approach
to collect data to their gradual engagement with humans and other living
beings, Xhaaad demonstrates tolerance, curiosity, and openness.

Finally, I am showing some pieces which do not fit into any of these
three series. I painted several of them as an homage to late California artist
Wayne Thiebaud, who passed in 2021. A sampling of my tiny landscapes and
beach scenes are also on view.

Join us for Shelby’s Reception for an opportunity to meet the artist and a discussion about her masterfully painted and curated work.