We recently connected with Shianna Blei and have shared our conversation below.

Shianna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I was working as the manager of a cafe at the time. This quaint cafe serves more than just coffee and pastries; it also supports the arts and music in the community, hosting art shows, music events, and writing clubs, among several other programs. To put it another way, I was unexpectedly placed in an environment that fueled my creative path and encouraged me to pursue my art. I have always been a creative in some form and have experimented with different mediums, but I keep coming back to painting. Shy at first to share my work with those around me, I eventually worked up the courage, with the help of my husband, to show my boss my paintings. You could say that after that fateful day, I have grown more than ever as an artist. Taking the step to open up and share my creative passion and work with those around me has had very unexpected results. My work is woven into the story and environment of the community I live in now, and 3 years later, I am pursuing my art as a business. I never would have thought I’d be saying that now! I was blessed to have such supportive people and family around me in so many ways. Art is an interesting path to travel. There is a little piece of you in all your creations. I believe there is a place for you and your creative work in the world. And you could have more of an impact than you know.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a self-taught acrylic artist based in West Virginia who specialises in landscapes and seascapes. I grew up in an artistic family and have experimented with different mediums and creative paths. However, I keep coming back to painting. I am influenced by impressionism and experimentation, inspired by imagination, and I almost always have a cup of tea by my side (My husband says I am fueled by tea). I have a particular fondness for sailboats, ships, and the countryside. I also specialize in tiny 2×3 paintings (and sometimes smaller!). There is something special about the tiny pieces to me. Like a little window into another place that you can carry with you, or set on your desk or your bookcase. They are truly my favorite to paint. In 2024 I took a step in my creative path and decided to pursue my art as a profession and business. My work is available in local shops, and I currently attend local artisan markets where I sell prints and original pieces.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One is connection. When someone sees your work and finds a connection within your piece. Maybe it’s a feeling, or a story, or an escape to another place. I think that’s beautiful and one of my favorite experiences as an artist. Second is the creative lens through which we see the world and the ways we try to capture emotion and imagination. I think that’s something I love about creatives, and I find rewarding as a creative.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

That there is no space or need for my art. As artists in this day and age, we have beneficial tools such as the internet and social media to help us on our creative paths. However, it can feel as though there is no room or need for you as an artist. I have learned that people do want a connection with you and YOUR art. There is only one you after all. A piece of you goes into those strokes on the canvas, and people will see that. There is a place for you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shiannablei.wixsite.com/shiannableiart
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiannablei_art?igsh=anJqYWp0OWlmdW5n&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565960728835&sk=about_details