Shea Hembrey's most recent work directly tackles environmental problems, such as his landscape painting project which culminates in planting habitat for native songbirds.

He approaches art by concentrating on a singular, defined conceptual project where the ideas direct what methods and media he uses. Research is key to all of his creative endeavors while he remains a prolific maker of things.

Though always focused on developing new technical skills on his own, he has a varied formal art education.

His nine years of studying art at university include a year spent studying Maori art in New Zealand and an M.F.A. from Cornell University.

Further explore his work online through coverage on NPR, PBS, in a New York Times Magazine profile, and a popular TED talk.