THE ARTIST
MEET SHAWN
Self-taught. Self-made. Every piece in this collection started as a canvas painted from a spirit of light.
2009 · A DISCARDED WATERCOLOR SET
Hello, my name is Shawn. I'm a semi self-taught artist. I painted my first piece, a watercolor portrait of Jamie Foxx, in 2009, using an old watercolor set a friend was about to throw away.
Watercolor was the right medium for a beginner. I learned a lot from it, and wanting to experience more, I moved on to oil and acrylics. I never looked back. Painting and creating art became my passion.
The Arc
2009
First Piece
A watercolor portrait, painted with a discarded set. The beginning of everything.
SHORTLY AFTER
The Shift to Oil & Acrylic
Wanting to go further with the craft, Shawn moved into oil and acrylic, and never looked back. Art became a passion, not a pastime.
21 YEARS
A Season on Death Row
Six days from an execution date, Shawn endured a season most of us can't imagine. Rather than create from that darkness, he chose to paint from a Spirit of Light instead.
TODAY
Painting From Light
Every canvas since carries that choice forward: art as a way to counter life's ugly reality, his own included, and to touch people in a positive, meaningful way.
"I choose to create from a Spirit of Light."
My aim isn't to make political or social statements, but to explore the aesthetic in people, places, and things. My work is born out of a need to counter some of life's ugly reality, my own included.
WHY I MAKE ART
As a developing artist over the years, I've grown to understand and witness the powerful impact art has on our world. One of my greatest rewards is knowing I have the gift to touch people's lives in a positive, meaningful way.
As a developing artist over the years, I've grown to understand and witness the powerful impact art has on our world. One of my greatest rewards is knowing I have the gift to touch people's lives in a positive, meaningful way.