Shelley Barclay began her career in the MFA program at Northwestern University. After Northwestern, she became the propmaster for the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center. Upon moving to New York and freelancing for two years, Shelley took the position of Properties Supervisor at the Manhattan Theater Club, where she worked for 12 years. During that time, Shelley designed scenery Off-Broadway and in regional theater, and assisted several designers on Broadway, decorating such shows as The Heiress, A Delicate Balance, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, The Sisters Rosensweig, and others, working with designers John Lee Beatty, Santo LoQuasto, Heidi Ettinger, Derek McLane, and many more. In 1996, she became one of the decorators for the CBS daytime drama "Guiding Light", and received 3 Daytime Emmy nominations for her work. Since leaving Guiding Light, Shelley has been freelancing as a decorator and assistant decorator on such projects as the TV shows "Ugly Betty", "Bored to Death", HBO's upcoming series "Boardwalk Empire", and the movie, "The Substance of Fire". Shelley is a member of IATSE Local 52, United Scenic Artists Local 829, and the Set Decorators Society of America.