We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shahv (Shahvteeaylah) Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Shahv (Shahvteeaylah) thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I spent hours in the library renting comic books and animated movies, completely immersed in visual storytelling. I was drawn to the characters—the way they were designed, the emotions they conveyed—and I’d fill sketchbooks trying to capture that same magic. Western comics like Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley, alongside Japanese works by Rumiko Takahashi and Ai Yazawa, heavily influenced me. Miyazaki films, too, were a huge source of inspiration. At first, I was just copying what I saw, trying to improve my technical skills, but eventually, I started coming up with my own ideas.
I was lucky to have adults in my life who valued the arts and encouraged me to keep drawing. Through childhood and adolescence, art was the one thing I was always motivated to do. I struggled to apply myself in subjects that didn’t spark my passion, but I never had trouble getting excited for art class.
There wasn’t one defining moment when I decided to pursue art as a career—it was more of a slow realization. I always knew I wanted a life that felt fulfilling, where I wasn’t trapped in a job I hated, grinding away at something that drained me. Even as a kid, I would daydream about a future where I could work for myself, travel, and create. I knew I wanted to live a creative life.
By high school, I started taking my art seriously. With the help of my art teacher, I sought out extra opportunities in Philadelphia—taking summer courses at Tyler School of Art and Moore College of Art & Design, and after-school figure drawing classes at PAFA. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those experiences were laying the foundation for my future.
By the time I graduated high school, I had done well in Advanced Placement Art, earned a significant scholarship, and secured a spot in the University of the Arts. Four years and one pandemic later, I completed my BFA in Illustration, and I haven’t looked back since.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
About Me
My name is Shahvteeaylah Williams, but professionally, I go by Shahv. I’m a Black woman, Philadelphia-based illustrator, designer, and educator. I earned my BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in 2021, and my work has been recognized by organizations such as The Dina Wind Foundation and InLiquid, who named me a 2023 Wind Fellow. More recently, I was awarded the 2024 Mural Arts’ Fellowship for Black Artists, and in 2025, I’ll be a resident artist at Cherry Street Pier, working out of Studio 13.
In addition to my practice as an artist, I teach illustration at Moore College of Art & Design. I work with middle and high school students through the Continuing Education Department and also serve as an Adjunct Professor in Moore’s Illustration, Animation, and Game Arts Department.
About My Art
My illustration practice is primarily digital—I start with pencil-and-paper sketches before refining and finishing my work in Procreate on my iPad. When time allows, I also enjoy working traditionally with acrylic ink, Acryla gouache, and colored pencils.
My style is vibrant, warm, and playful, often centering Black women and themes of nature. I create work that speaks to my community and affirms personal experiences. Two of my illustration series, The Wash Day Series and Love Letter Ladies, best represent this aspect of my work. Both explore Black beauty and an innate connection to nature.
Creative Works
The Wash Day Series – A set of four illustrations featuring Black women caring for their hair alongside oversized houseplants.
Love Letter Ladies – A set of three looping animations of Black women posing next to yellow flowers and other stylized plant life.
In both projects, I use vibrant, warm color palettes to highlight the rich undertones of brown skin and depict Black women surrounded by plants and flowers. I see a connection between hair care and nature—tending to Afro-textured hair is like tending to a garden. Like plants, kinky hair grows toward the sun, a symbol of resilience and beauty. Moisturizing and caring for natural hair is an act of devotion, self-love, and affirmation.
Inspirations
Comics & Manga: Rumiko Takahashi, Ai Yazawa, Akira Toriyama, Junji Ito
Animation: Bryan Lee O’Malley, Rebecca Sugar
Beyond visual art, I pull inspiration from my other hobbies and interests—roller skating, sewing and fashion, astrology—and whatever music I’m currently into.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the idea that success has to look a certain way—letting go of traditional markers of achievement and, more importantly, learning to stop comparing my path to that of my peers. Comparison really is the thief of joy.
There’s this expectation that you go to college, graduate, land a well-paying job, work your way up, and eventually retire. My professional journey hasn’t looked like that at all. I graduated virtually during the pandemic, spent my first two years post-grad working customer service jobs, and only then started seeing my first real successes as an artist. As a creative hustling to build a sustainable career on my own terms, I have to remind myself constantly that I’ve chosen an unconventional path—one that’s just as valid and rewarding.
I’ve had to sit with myself and redefine what “success” actually means for me. It’s not about checking off traditional milestones—it’s about building a life that aligns with my values.
Success to me looks like:
• Slow mornings
• Financial stability
• A flexible schedule
• Time to create
• Inner peace
• Work that fuels my creativity
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
The reality of a creative life is that you’re structuring your entire world around your passion. That might mean taking on a roommate to afford a separate studio space, working part-time so you have extra days to run your art business, or saving up to leave the country for an art residency between contracts. There’s no set path—it’s all about setting your own goals, going after what you want, and finding creative ways to sustain yourself while making sure you have the time and experiences that fuel your craft.
To non-creatives, this can sound risky, even unstable. But for me, it’s the only way that makes sense.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shahvill.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shahv.ill/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahvill
