Creating Is A Blessing, Not A Given
Shannon Scates (@unparalleledart)
A self-limiting belief I once held was that I didn’t deserve some of the opportunities that came my way because I am a self-taught artist. No one ever told me this, it’s just something my insecurities allowed me to believe. Whenever a more serious opportunity came along and required an artist resume, I immediately counted myself out. “What do I put on my resume? What am I supposed to put in the education section? It’s great that some people seem to like my work, but I don’t have a lot of experience and I probably won’t be chosen compared to other serious more experienced artists anyway. So why try?” I was also very familiar with the term ‘starving artist.’ Who wants to starve? Not me! The energy and overall message around me was to play it safe.
And I did. I decided that my creative pursuits would have to be a sidebar. As time went by, it became an unsatisfactory way for me to live. The moment I acknowledged my gift was God-given and not just for me, I felt compelled to honor it. Improving how I cared for myself flowed into how I nurtured my creative abilities.
'InDeepThought' 9"x12” Acrylic on Canvas. 2007.
CONTROLLING MY OWN NARRATIVE
It’s become very important for me to create environments and moments around myself that are conducive to creating – that reflect where it is I’m trying to go, while also resting and practicing stilliness. It’s a part of my process. Many of my best ideas come from when I’m not thinking too much about anything but instead, allowing all my experiences to marinate and come into view however they so choose. I’m excited to be on this journey where I’m now taking myself more seriously as an artist and have a set schedule for my artistic pursuits. I look forward to seeing where the dedication takes me. I’m creating for my people. I’m creating for my Creator. It feels great. I look at creating as an act of praise and worship now – as prayer. I look at creating as my weapon of choice in the fight for love and enlightenment. This will be my slice of the revolution.
“What if the “what ifs” also brought me here? What if I honored my gifts? What if I gave myself the proper room to grow? What if I faced whatever fears I have about failure and success? What will I bloom into? I’m going to find out.” – Shannon Scates
About The Artist
Shannon Scates is a self-taught visual artist from Prince George’s County, MD with a passion to use her creative abilities to inspire her community, herself, and the world to vibrate higher through vibrant color and sharing our stories. Her current focus is highlighting the beauty and complexity of black women with a viewpoint towards growth and healing for all. Shannon’s art is inspired by what she goes through personally or things she has observed in the world around her. She accompanies each piece with its own story and believes that the authenticity and transparency these stories provide are healing components.