Artist Name

Biography
Shawn Holtaway-Keller (b. 1981) transforms repurposed materials into intricately hand-embroidered works that honor both sustainability and the long lineage of craft. Working under the name Scattered Light Stitchery, the artist gives renewed life to fabric, paper, wood, and other found objects, using slow, intentional stitching to reimagine materials at the end of their lifecycle. Her practice spans wall hangings, patches, stuffed animals, garments, and sculptural objects, each stitched entirely by hand. By merging traditional embroidery techniques with unexpected surfaces, Holtaway-Keller challenges assumptions about the medium while celebrating the resilience, history, and tactile presence of salvaged materials.

Shawn Holtaway-Keller was born in the suburbs of Chicago and introduced to handwork by women in her family who nurtured her early curiosity. She later earned a BFA in Fashion Design and a BA in Sociology, grounding her material knowledge while shaping her understanding of the social histories embedded in craft. Her work in bridal alterations, papermaking, technical design, and clothing production across Chicago, Wisconsin, and Los Angeles further deepened her technical fluency. She has exhibited at The Groove Artspace in Albuquerque, Above Snakes in Albuquerque, and the Brea Gallery in California, where she received Third Place in the Made in California exhibition. Her commissions include a hand-stitched window screen for Hotel Andaluz. Holtaway-Keller lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Select Exhibitions
2026 The Art of ReUse, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2025 Fashion and Fiber, The Groove Artspace, Albuquerque, NM
2023 Solo showcase, Above Snakes, Albuquerque, NM
2014 Made in California, Brea Gallery, Brea, CA

Commissions
2025 Hand stitched window screen, Hotel Andaluz, Albuquerque, NM

Awards
2014 Third Place, Made in California, Brea Gallery, Brea, CA

Press Release
2026 The Art of ReUse at Richard Levy Gallery