Conversations with Shannon Joy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Joy.

Hi Shannon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up surrounded by poverty and violence. Art was my escape and gave me a glimpse of freedom and peace. I drew and made paper dolls, designed clothing, and spent as much time creating as possible. When I was 14, I escaped home, and for the next 15 years, life was about surviving as I repeated the old familiar patterns of my youth. Then I left my abusive marriage in an ambulance while my ex-husband found himself in the back of a squad car. When I got out of the hospital, I went to a local battered women’s shelter with my children and started the process of healing.

I went back to school to finish my degree in business and then started working in the corporate world. While there, they offered an art therapy class, and since I could not work, I attended every one. I still painted in my spare time, but it wasn’t a large part of my life for several years. And then, all the years of past trauma and abuse caught up to my body. I ended up staying in the hospital for an extended period. When I got out and went back to my career, I no longer found it fulfilling. So I decided to quit. I started a digital marketing company with a friend but wasn’t fond of writing articles. I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted to do – I just knew that creativity was calling, and I had to answer. I continued to paint, and people were purchasing them whenever I would post to my social media. So I chose to try art full-time. I started my company, Shannon Joy Creative, in February 2021 and have yet to look back. I was fortunate to encounter people like Andrea Ehrhardt Sanders along the way, and joining her training on art made a huge difference in how quickly my career grew. My art is now in 7 countries and 30 states! This upcoming year, I will be taking a selection of my art and writing on tour to promote my new book, “In The Black,” and I am incredibly excited about it!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The mindset was the number one challenge I had to overcome on this journey. I struggled to believe that I was worth it or that my art could hold value for someone else. Once I realized that beauty is an innate human need, it changed many things in my mind. As an entrepreneur, emotions, and finances can be a roller coaster initially. Being persistent and working through challenges can be extremely difficult. I was very grateful to have a good support system and a lot of excellent books at my disposal to get through when I was in the lowest parts of the journey. I still find social media and the marketing aspect of art to be a challenge at times, but I am learning and growing every day, and I will be adding a social media manager to my team before the end of the year.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create stories you can see. We’ve all heard the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and I find that very true. I paint to bring joy and inspiration to those who see my work. Every piece has a unique story, and I put all of my energy into creating the emotion of that story. Whether I am painting a mural on a wall or a canvas (or any surfaces I’ve had the pleasure of painting), I make people feel. I think a lot of us have forgotten the art of feeling, and I hope my paintings and writing can bring a little of that back to them. It’s also really neat to hide little hearts in every painting. I believe we find what we look for in life, and I want to remind people to find the masterpiece in the little moments. Searching for joy daily will bring joy into your life, and searching for the hearts, which can be obvious or hidden, is a reminder that our joy is the same way.

Another neat thing I have been able to do is to create “The Joy Club.” It’s a monthly subscription where you receive a print of a painting 6 months before it goes on socials or my website. The print is accompanied by a letter of encouragement and inspiration to get you through the rest of the month. But my favorite thing that I do with my art gives back. Every original sold gives 10% back to the charity associated with the meaning of the work!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I say try things out! I firmly believe that you should try everything twice, and yes, I say twice. You never know if the first time is a fluke, so you should try again to be sure. I have gone to many different networking meetings, but I’ve found that building relationships based on common interests tends to yield better results for me. Don’t shy away from hobbies because that’s where you will find the people you truly connect with. Do what you love and put it out there, and the right people will always find you.

Pricing:

• Murals – Starting at $10/ft
• Commissions – Starting at $1/in
• Joy Club Monthly Subscription – $9/mo

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shannonjoy.art
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/shannonjoy.art
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/art.shannonjoy
• Linkedin: www.LinkedIn.com/in/Shannon-joy-art
• Other: www.tiktok.com/shannonjoyart

Image Credits
BG Studios Photography