Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Korrie Shell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Korrie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I never succeeded at sports and team activities growing up so once I learned that I could art. I learned that I could draw to have those same feelings of success and happiness.

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?

My name is Korrie and I’m a prime example brain of some who is simply an artist. In the book of birthdays, on mine it claims, “day of the unique happening” as my life’s quote. Not specifically a painter, a writer, a seamstress, a chef, a builder, but an Artist. Sometimes I do needlepoint and embroidery works, sometimes I’m designing a cake that matches their spirit. By salary I am a chef, but throughout the years my arts have all helped me to express myself to the world. My most valued pieces have been the embroidery I’ve done. My first commission was a Flag a I made for a friends’ massage study, and I’m forever thankful to that opportunity. The art of cooking is what has found recent success however. I recently won a Best Vegan soup award for a local soup competition. Which happily pushes the narrative of ‘food is art.’ A beautiful player creates a beautiful memory of nourishment and love. If from an artists’ hands.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

As a community the only way to keep supporting artists and art is simply that. We live in an era of fast fashion and capitalism. Fast fashion constantly steals prints and designs from artists, and as consumers we have to hold ourselves responsible eventually. We are in control of the success of the arts. Buying a shirt of shein for $5 is a spit in the face of the artist community. We have enough clothes for the rest of time. We just need to connect with one another.

Have you ever had to pivot?

At this point in my life, which is basically 40 I’ve learned that you just have to constantly be prepared to adjust. Change is constantly throwing its weight around and it’s important to not be rattled. I’ve been through a divorce, multiple career shift, and environment switches. Art never stops.