Sheffield Abella

I have been an artist and designer for over 30 years. I have been a Visiting Professor at UNLV since 2023 and I am currently  developing my own IP projects.

I was an instructor at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division and at the Art Institute of Las Vegas.

Prior to that I was a Senior Artist at Kizzang, a game company.

As an artist and professor, I find profound joy in drawing and painting the human figure. There is something endlessly captivating about capturing the subtle play of light across skin, the graceful tension in a muscle, or the quiet vulnerability in a gaze. Each portrait becomes a conversation between observation and emotion, where every line and brushstroke reveals not just anatomy, but the unique spirit of the person before me.
 
My formal training began with a BFA from ArtCenter College of Design, where I was fortunate to study under too many exceptional instructors to name. I later earned an MFA from the Academy of Art University, followed by intensive workshops with master artists including Morgan Weistling, David Leffel, Burton Silverman, Jeff Watts, and Mark Westermoe. These experiences, combined with years of working from life and teaching, continue to shape my practice.
 
Whether working from direct observation, reference photos, or increasingly from imagination, the human form never ceases to inspire me—its infinite variations in posture, expression, and presence offer an eternal well of discovery and delight. For me, rendering the figure is both a technical challenge and a deeply personal celebration of humanity itself.

INSTRUCTOR

 

University of Nevada Las Vegas

2014 | 2023 – Present

Visiting Assistant Professor
Digital Design and Illustration

 

Art Institute of Las Vegas | Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online

2005 -2011, 2016 | 2017-2019

Adjunct Professor
Drawing, Painting & Design

IN-HOUSE

 

Kizzang LLC
2014 – 2017

Senior Artist

 

Pixel Colada LLC
1997 – Present

Freelance Illustrator/Designer

PARTIAL CLIENT LIST

Air Force Reserve

AT&T

Ballys

Bill Maher

Caesars Palace

Circus Circus

Excalibur

Gillette

Hello Network

Konami Gaming

McGraw Hill

Michele Fiore Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem

Nokia

Phillips

Pontiac

Saturn

Toyota

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Venetian

Wells Fargo

Westwood Studios