We recently connected with Shakerra Monét and have shared our conversation below.
Shakerra , appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
Do I wish I had started my creative career sooner or later? Mmhmm, I go back and forth with this question often. Sometimes I do wish that I had started earlier or been more consistent, but then I wouldn’t experience what I have experienced as a young 20-year-old. I think where I am at right now my younger self prepared me for it, but I am still learning and advancing my skills each day.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Shakerra Monét I am a contemporary artist based out of Denver, but a St. Louis native. Completed my studies in fashion design and merchandise, but soon realized my true desire to create art in other mediums outside of design.
As an artist, I create colorful and expressive portraits. With my recent work, I try to capture the essence of candid photos of a vast variety of individuals that look like me. I add a unique aesthetic to all of my portraits by crossing out the eyes, creating a conversation and having the viewer look at the image as a whole.
Overall, I want my work to capture the essence of body positivity, representation of the LGBTQIA+ community, and most of all, highlighting black and brown individuals.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I want my journey in art to be reflective of my growth. I’ve been doing art all of my life, but I really started realizing my skills as an artist in my early 20s, in college. And in my early 20s I did A LOT of black and white drawing, minimal color. Very much in the energy of finding my style with art and my individuality as a person. As I grew in my art career, my art became very colorful, which is a reflection of me expressing my feminine energy + soft era. As I continue to learn who I am as a person, my art will become reflective of that.
Another goal/mission of mines is to create art that looks + represents me through my perspective lens.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Yes !! I wish in college I could have explored the world some more. My traveling didn’t begin until I graduated, but I wish I had access to museums. I can spend all day in museums, especially contemporary portions of museums. I also wish I used Youtube, Tumblr, and Pinterest as a resource for inspiration.
Contact Info: