"Artist's Worth" Interview with Shannon Celia
Today we are sharing a lovely interview with one of our artists Shannon Celia. We chat about showing your work in museums, launching residency programs, and understanding your worth as an artist.
ASM: First of all, we absolutely love the way you see and express daylight in your paintings, whether it's a warm sunny day or cloudy skies. Your track record with showing in the museums is rather impressive. Can you tell us about your very first experience with showing at a museum?
Thank you! My first museum experience was in a group show at the Santa Paula Art Museum about 4 or 5 years ago in their annual "Art About Agriculture” Show, and I’ve been accepted into that show every year since. The museum is a beautiful venue and has different group and solo exhibits throughout the year that artists can apply to. This year they invited me to do a solo exhibit entitled “Santa Paula Sojourn” which will celebrate its historic places and wide open spaces. I was also in a group exhibit at the Museum of Ventura a couple of years ago.
My first solo museum exhibit was 25 pieces and entitled "Odyssey Through Oxnard" at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard, CA in October 2017. I helped them create and launch their first artist in residence program and this year they’ve invited me to do a 20 piece solo exhibit opening in August. So entering work in group shows helps curators get to know you and your work.
ASM: As you know, All SHE Makes is fighting to get more visibility for women artists. As large portion of our readers are women and women artists, I am sure they would love to know a little more about your personal experience in dealing with getting admitted into museums. Can you share your experience with us?
Entering juried group exhibits is always a good way to get one’s foot in the door but I’m also a big believer in creating artistic opportunities for yourself and others when appropriate. In the case of the Channel Islands Maritime Museum residency, I first found them when I was accepted into a juried Maritime themed group exhibit there. I thought the place was amazing. When I moved nearby and went back to enjoy the spectacular Dutch masterpieces they have hanging downstairs, I started daydreaming while enjoying the incredible view of the harbor upstairs. All I could think about was how fun it would be to paint the boats and ships going by their windows. I went to a few of their amazing monthly lectures and there I met the curator and eventually pitched the idea I had to do an art residency there. They have neat children’s programs and as a children’s book author (ABC’s of the Sea) I knew I could teach a couple of classes for kids and adults so I went in with an outline for a program that would benefit other artists long term. They said yes and it was such a terrific learning opportunity for all. I painted there a couple of times a week all month, hung work, talked to visitors and enjoyed every minute of it. Now other artists can apply twice a year for their artist in residence program. It ended up a perfect fit!
ASM: Can you talk a little bit about what inspires you? Is it the details that capture your eye or a certain way you see the world?
More things inspire me than not, that is for sure! I don’t have time to paint everything I want to and I’ve never been bored a day in my life. I do notice details and when the light hits something just right, on a cupola or steeple top or lifeguard tower. Sometimes I choose details that might otherwise go unnoticed and other times moments stop me in my tracks, like an electrified daydream. Definitely a certain kind of light in the morning or at dusk and certain shapes grab my attention as well as old things built with care. I truly love being around vintage tractors, trucks, old phones, typewriters, little handheld transistor radios and giant old mailboxes. I appreciate vineyards, orchards, old train trestles, bridges, and books that a hundred years later, still survive and are appreciated. I like thinking about why we were created and put on this earth and celebrate collectively creating alongside so many other artists, writers and musicians. I am inspired by what we all make, whether it’s a beautiful quilt, a gorgeous stone wall or a garden to table meal lovingly prepared. I paint "gritty with the pretty" in celebration of life’s gifts - who, what, where and how we choose to spend our time daily steps.
ASM: How has your style or inspiration changed over the years?
I seem to evolve in my work quite a bit and certainly have painted a lot of different styles and subject matters. I go through phases like most artists and enjoy experimenting but I’m settling in now and feeling content with my own personal voice and style. This year will definitely be transformative with two museum exhibits and an art residency coming up in France. It’s always important to me to keep learning and improving but I’m reaching for a kind of abstracted realism these days and enjoying long series where I can really research and explore a subject to my heart’s content.
ASM: We are strong believers that the more people discuss failure, the less significant the possibility of it becomes. In our society, we are so terrified of possibility of something not working out, that it halts all our efforts to begin with. We ask all of our interviewees if they can share a time where something (a project or opportunity) did not work out and how did you move forward?
Oh absolutely, I’ve had plenty of what folks would call failure but that’s different for everyone. And we always learn from failure, don’t we? I remain grateful for lessons learned along the way but I’m more deliberate now about what I choose to pursue. I was so excited to paint in the beginning that I always said yes to local art groups, commissions, and all kinds of shows and exhibits. I would try nearly everything that came my way and I met a lot of wonderful friends, contacts and collectors that way. But not all of those experiences were wonderful and helped me be a better artists. And not all of them made sense for me. It would’ve been better to try one or two things at a time and keep my energy to create a more solid body of work at first.
As a specific example of failure, once I had an opportunity to create work for a new local business. They seemed thrilled at first to have found me through a mutual acquaintance. We met at least 3 times, and I asked a lot of questions but let’s just say I didn’t ask enough of the right questions! I couldn’t even get a specific budget from them so how could I plan mine? It turned out the artwork regarding their project as well as their expectations were totally unrealistic for their budget. I was so excited about the opportunity that forgot to even think about my expectations and needs as the artist. I also didn’t know about consulting fees or contracts and the correct questions to ask concerning such a large project. I was never able to speak directly to the person actually in charge of decisions. So I spent an enormous amount of time with emails and calls and meetings, creating themes and idea boards until I blessedly realized we truly weren’t a good match. It was a relief to suggest a few other people I knew and walk away. I missed all the red flags that I would clearly see now but if I’d had a mentor or a coach at the time, I would’ve know after the first meeting to walk away. A lot of work for zero pay is never a good idea for someone pursuing a professional art career! I learned that while it’s okay to barter or take chances while building a resume, we have to know our own worth and what is in our wheel house. Creative work can be exhilarating or exhausting and sometimes the difference is doing the right kind of work for you.
I’m a huge believer in finding mentors and business people who compliment your journey. I wish I’d known about women like Alyson Stanfield ten years ago. She writes helpful books like “I’d Rather Be in the Studio” and does art coaching that help artists not spin their wheels. Marketing is all good but a strong body of work has to take center stage. Learning skills and creating something you can really be proud of needs to always be first but there’s no rushing understanding and skill. It takes time. It’s important to find terrific teachers and mentors and ask yourself what you want to accomplish personally. Creating takes a lot of energy so it’s better to take time to explore and hone your craft while understanding that not everyone has to become a professional artist to enjoy the experience of creating.
ASM: Any events, projects, or exhibits you'd like to share with the audience?
I have two solo museum exhibits coming up this year! The first is in Santa Paula, CA at the Santa Paula Art Museum opening in May, another is at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard, CA opening in August. I have also just accepted a three week artist residency in France in September 2020 so I’ll be sharing artwork I create there on my Shannon Celia Fine Art Instagram and on FB as well as on my website www.shannoncelia.com
