Being a self-taught artist in many different mediums, Kelly Shatto has now made her mark in the glass bead-making world. Being raised by the ocean, its no wonder Kelly is most known for her aquarium beads. Each bead is so detailed that a closer inspection is needed to see the underwater story unfold. These beads are like miniature paintings in glass. Kelly’s work is so unique to the jewelry market that most people do not realize that each glass bead is created on her torch. Kelly now incorporates her artful beads into beautiful pieces of wearable art.

Kelly was raised in California and moved to rural Iowa which borders closely to Omaha, NE in 1996. She has been a wife for 20+ years and has eight children. Kelly has many talents such as graphic designing, painting, and gardening. Since 1993, Kelly has strived to create innovative fresh new work on a daily basis using blues music as the motivator and color as her inspiration. The colors come in every form like in nature, paint, new glass, photos and even from her own children's art pieces make her hands itch with anticipation. Her work has been published in the Family Magazine in CA, and in Les DeCume book in France. Kelly's work has been shown in many national and international galleries and museums. Kelly teaches a variety of lampwork bead, jewelry making classes, and watercolor painting to both individual and groups in her Oakland, IA studio.