Watkins Alumna Shelby Rodeffer

Making her mark through typography and Southern Gothic art

For Shelby Rodeffer, a 2012 graduate of Watkins College of Art with a degree in graphic design and a concentration in illustration, the path to becoming a successful independent artist started in Nashville’s creative community. Her journey from a small-town creative to an established artist showcases how strong educational foundations and industry connections can shape successful careers. 

A standout feature of Rodeffer's education was the program's commitment to bringing working professionals into the classroom. "Having working artists in the classroom was super influential," she recalled. From renowned artist Wayne White conducting cardboard puppet-making workshops to meeting the artist behind The Chicks' album artwork, these interactions provided invaluable real-world perspectives.  

"It was really influential to me to be able to meet people who were working in the field," Rodeffer explained. "Compared to what I've heard of some other people's college experiences, where it feels like you're in a vacuum and then you leave and nothing really applies to what you're doing, my time there felt applicable. Working professionals are better able to speak to what your portfolio needs to look like to get a job in 30 days, versus what it needed to look like 15 years ago."  

These guest artist connections directly impacted her early career opportunities. Through class visits, she met Bryce McLeod of Isle of Printing and Julia Anderson of Anderson Design Group, where she would later gain valuable work experience. "Everything was sort of just word of mouth through guest artists and visitors who had come into the program," she noted. 

The strong alumni network also proved invaluable for Rodeffer's career.

"It was a low barrier to get an interview at those places," explained Rodeffer. "Having the extended network of students out in the world was really helpful for me getting started. I didn't have to do a ton of cold calling." 

After working at various design firms and agencies, Rodeffer began working independently in 2016. Now based in Louisville, Kentucky after time in Chicago, she maintains deep connections to Nashville's vibrant art scene, even as the city has evolved dramatically since her student days. "Nashville was a completely different town when I left in 2013," she reflects. "It's funny now that I've been gone for 12 years, how much work I'm still doing in Nashville, and how much personal art I'm showing in Nashville. The city is like quadruple the size of what it was when I left."  

Despite the growth, she notes that Nashville has maintained its commitment to supporting local artists. "There's this thing that existed back when I lived there, which was everyone was like, 'Where's the local art? Where are the local people?' And so I really appreciate that, as somebody who has moved away, I'm still kind of considered a local artist." 

Rodeffer’s work, which often features text-based designs and reimagined Masonic imagery, can be found across the Southeast, including recent installations in downtown Nashville. Living just two and a half hours away allows her to stay actively involved in the community, returning every couple of months for projects, installations and shows. 

Some of Rodeffer's work was featured in Watkins' recent alumni exhibition, “Among the Beyond,” displayed alongside pieces by fellow alumni spanning multiple generations. "Seeing my work mixed with the work of people who I went to school with, mixed with people who graduated ten years before me and ten years after me was really cool," she said. "It's like a physical representation of the ties that I have back to that place."  

One of her most formative experiences at school came through a collaborative project with a local family shelter. "It was an important realization that this career isn't just all about personal growth and vanity projects," she reflected. "As a visual artist, you have the agency to put emphasis on things you care about and give back to the community." 

For current students aspiring to follow a similar path, Rodeffer offers two key pieces of advice. First, she emphasizes the importance of maximizing access to school facilities while you have them. "Stay in the studio and be in the labs," she urged. "Look into the cost of private studios while you're a student to realize what a good thing you've got going on. If maintaining a studio practice is something you want to keep up when you leave school, understand what that means for you financially and the sacrifices you're going to have to make." 

Her second piece of advice focuses on developing a personal voice alongside technical skills. "I still see a lot of student portfolios where I don't know anything about them when I look at it," she noted. "Even just one self-guided project in a student portfolio helps me when I'm judging portfolios or handing out awards, just to get an idea of somebody who took an extra step and to see what their personal style is." 

Through her success as an independent artist and her continued connection to the Nashville art community, Rodeffer exemplifies how Belmont's combination of practical education, industry connections and emphasis on personal growth creates lasting impact beyond graduation.