Marvin and Michelle Shafer – Q3 Art

Q3 Art Inc. is a fusion of two artists, Marvin and Michelle Shafer, creating unique and innovative work in anodized aluminum. Marvin and Michelle built their company to create quality, handmade products that are artistic yet affordable. They chose anodized aluminum as their primary medium because of its ability to display saturated color, the fact that it is recyclable material, and the low ecological damage which occurs during processing. Q3 Art has been creating unique, original, and affordable products in the Chicago Illinois area for over 20 years. Both Marvin and Michelle design and create the color palette and components; many of their pieces are completely hand forged. The company was founded in 1988 by Marvin Shafer (BFA 1968, University of Illinois, Champaign), a goldsmith and sculptor with over 30 years of working experience as a commission artist and teacher. He was on the faculty of Roosevelt University (Chicago, IL) and the Evanston Art Center (Evanston, IL) 1972-1976. As a freelance artist he has created thousands of one-of-a-kind pieces of art for corporations and individuals. A few of the recipients include Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Jim Beam Corp, Illinois Masonic hospital, Morristown Memorial Hospital (NJ), UMass Memorial Hospital, Hugh Hefner, George Carlin, the Upjohn family and Christian MacArther. In 1991, Michelle Shafer, with a background in metal smithing, jewelry and design, began streamlining the look, adding niobium accents and broadening the color palette from 10 shades to over 40. She continues to do a tremendous amount of the product design as well as color selection and coordination work. They are members of the American Craft Council and the Illinois Artisans Program.