Life & Work with Heathyr Shaw of Lawrence

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heathyr Shaw

Hi Heathyr, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My creative work has evolved a lot overtime. The short version of the story is that I started as a high school English & art teacher and quickly learned that I needed to lean into some creative outlets outside of work to destress. Organically, my business (now Meadowlark & Co) started and evolved from doing wedding calligraphy, invitations, and custom watercolor commissions, to now teaching watercolor workshops, selling art prints, and most importantly, creating content and products that help women (particularly moms!) put their hands to the dreams that are in their hearts. Right now, I’m most passionate about getting my Motherhood Journal, a reflective journal for pregnant and postpartum women, into the hands of as many new moms as possible.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think entrepreneurship is a smooth road for many, but it has certainly been exciting and very fulfilling for me. As an artist, I have lots and lots of interests and I love learning. This can be a strength, but it creates major challenges, too, because in order to be effective in business, you often need to make choices and decide to be consistent in a few areas rather than dabbling in a lot of things. At the same time, as you make those choices, there isn’t a guarantee that any one thing will “hit” or be successful, so I’ve had to learn to trust my business instincts and have faith that my efforts will be worth it. This has become even more of a tension since I’ve become a mom (now to three little ones under 5 years old!) because my time is more limited AND there is a lot more at stake based on the impacts of my business decisions. It’s challenging, but also makes my work that much more meaningful!

While becoming a mom has condensed the time I’m able to spend on my work, it has actually really helped me with making decisions for my business by helping me gain a lot of clarity of what my priorities are and how to work efficiently toward living out those priorities in a meaningful way.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Meadowlark & Co is a business with a mission to help women put their hands to the dreams in their hearts. I started it with my love for art and teaching others, but I’m most proud now of using those skills to help people zone in on how they can use their own gifts to serve others. Whether it’s teaching women watercolor at a workshop or walking them through how to care for their pregnant and postpartum selves through my Motherhood Journal, I’m proud that my work, while beautiful, is less about the art itself, and more about helping to unlock elements of a full, purposeful life in others.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I grew up in suburban KC and now live in Lawrence, but spend a lot of time in Kansas City proper. The arts culture has absolutely exploded in the time since I was growing up in the area, and it’s something I love to share with people coming in from out of town. From the food (I’m a huge foodie), to the music (my favorites range from the Green Lady Lounge to the Kaufmann Center), to the visual arts and creative community, there is so much to be inspired by.

All of these aspects are extra wonderful in my little corner of the KC area- Lawrence. Per capita, the food and coffee scene here is amazing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.meadowlarkandco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meadowlarkandco

Image Credits
Cheyenne Lowe Photography