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

Alright, Shalyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I can’t imagine growing up with any other family. We weren’t perfect of course, but my parents, brother and I have always been incredibly close and there’s such a strong unconditional love that holds us together. My late Dad was a professional artist throughout my childhood and his office was smack dab in the middle of our living room. The original Lowry Studio was a drafting table and a few desks put together creating a horseshoe shaped office that was home to a million blueprints, tons of watercolors, markers, drafting supplies, and all of the airbrush equipment. Dad was an architectural renderer and I remember going on many little work trips after school. From meeting up with clients, to photographing building sites and hitting up Pearl Art Supply, George Lowry Studio was a part of everyday life. I think that watching his balance of professionalism and friendliness with clients always put me at ease when we had clients in our home or I had to attend a quick meeting with him. He had such great relationships with everyone and his charismatic nature is something I like to think that I inherited from him. My mom was a Hillsborough County teacher for 37 years and more than earned her retirement. She is the most empathetic, loving, and silly lady and I hope to be as kind and generous as she always is. Mom is interesting in that when she describes people, she explains them based on how they are feeling or what their personality is rather than what they look like or how old they may be. She has always been one to recognize people first by their emotional state and this is something that made her so beloved by her students. When it comes to teaching, she recognizes her student’s needs and strengths and is sure to encourage them or give them support that is specific to what they need. One size never fits all with her and she knows every one of her kids and exactly how to reach them. She carried this through with my brother and I and she always knew how to support us or give us the little bit of tough love that we so often needed. Her summers “off” included deep cleaning the house and teaching Kyle and I a bit of everything even if she had no idea what she was doing. She felt it was important for us to have a bit of experience in all things so that we could find what truly made us happy. We played a bit of every sport, were forced to try music (which we’re both awful at), played all kinds of cards and games, dabbled in different types of arts (which dad always ran in and took over because she was “doing it wrong”), and of course spent time learning to cook, clean, and visit family. Looking back, I really have no idea how she managed it all but I am eternally grateful for all the experiences, even music.
Both of my parents worked so very hard but were always able to make my brother and I feel special even when we didn’t have much. They put us first in everything and made sure that we felt confident, experienced, and loved. As an adult, I’m aware of all the sacrifices that they made. I remember waking up at 2 am to get water and seeing Dad still in the living room working at his drafting table. I remember going to bed some nights with Mom still at work as she had a second job coaching the track team and was out managing meets and waiting with athletes until they were picked up. Their dedication to family and craft, their constant selflessness, and their ability to love unconditionally and be passionate about life all while still being goofy and fun are things that they may or may not have intended to teach me… but they’re the things that I remember the most and am so thankful to have.

Shalyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Have you ever watched a compelling tutorial video online and had the sudden urge to just try it out yourself? That’s the closest way I can explain my falling into resin artwork. I’ve dabbled in acrylic painting, fluid painting, and other niche areas of art for a few years and somehow, while browsing through many beautiful pieces, I stumbled upon resin. The possibilities of innovative compositions and creations seemed endless and I simply wanted to play. I knew resin would end up becoming an expensive hobby and the idea began to form to sell my artwork in the hopes of just covering the expenses it created. If you can have a hobby that pays for itself, why not? As with any new endeavor, I began my journey with education and experimentation. I tend to have a Type A personality and experimentation was pretty difficult for me as I wanted everything to be perfect right away. Resin can be a bit temperamental as there are so many variables to constantly be aware of and you truly must experiment to find what practices work specifically for you and your end goal. Sometimes, not having an end goal and just enjoying the process can yield the best results! Bob Ross truly said it best when he explained that, “we don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” Some of my favorite techniques have come from attempting one thing and finding a completely different result. Everything from the product’s brand to temperature, ratios, product mixtures, heat gun angles, layers, and everything in between can have a huge impact on your final product. I believe I’ve come a long way in learning about many of these things but I’m well aware that I’m only just beginning this journey and will continue to experiment and play for years to come.
Each time I learn a new technique or have a fresh idea, I become really passionate about it and dive in head first. Resin is like a novel that I’m reading and each chapter brings something new and exciting even though each is part of the whole. I am currently working to perfect pieces that look like beautiful aerial photos of the ocean reaching the shore. I want my pieces to show the depth of the seas complete with coral reefs, fish, crystal clear sand bars, sunken shipwrecks, and all the surfable waves you can imagine. Once I hammer down some new techniques for creating these kinds of pieces, I imagine that I’ll take some time to revert back to a few of my older chapters and possibly mix up those styles with the newer techniques I’ve learned. A future idea I’ve dreamt up includes the black sand seascape style of some of my previous works blended with the realism that I’m currently learning. How incredible would a realistic black sand volcanic beach be with sweeping lava flows rushing into the steaming sea? Or what about a future chapter where I learn more about historic architectural models and blend that with the seascapes to create stunning depictions of the fabled Atlantis? The possibilities of imagination and creation are endless… I can only hope that my community continues to enjoy this journey and that they are as delighted as I am.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

There are many ways that you can help to support an artist or creative in today’s modern world. From taking a genuine interest in my art by asking questions or leaving comments to purchasing items and sharing my artwork with friends, your encouragement and loyalty is always appreciated. It’s incredibly flattering to have customers reach out to me virtually or seek me out specially at a market just to let me know they love my work or would like a custom piece. Please remember that support isn’t always monetary (though that’s often greatly appreciated!) and it is so easy to lift a creative up simply by sharing their work or offering kind words. Many of my clients were brought to me by word of mouth through friends, family, or people my work had reached previously. You may not always be able to support an artist monetarily, but you can definitely spread the good word about them and let them know how much you appreciate what they do!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

In my experience, the greatest resource that is beyond comparison is people. When I first began this journey, I was constantly researching new ideas or techniques. Many of these techniques I tried out with an artist friend of mine, Adam Makani of MakaniMade, as we were both novice creators. We shared all of our art experiences with each other so that we could learn twice as much and improve our skill sets. We had so many art adventures together and that really pushed us to do more. I began sharing my artwork online and through Instagram where I found another incredible art community. I reached out to SwishyFishy from Enchanting Tides who is an incredible artist and mold creator. I really appreciated her work and was hoping to support her as a Brand Ambassador. Creatives need to stick together and show each other support, right?! Not only did she accept me as an ambassador, but she invited me into a group of creators that continually build each other up. I’m so blessed to have found such an inspirational community in these women as they have been the greatest resource and even better friends. Though we live all over the country, we share with each other daily by offering advice, tips, tricks, and laugh through all of our silly art fails. We support each other by always offering encouragement and I only wish I had known earlier how wonderful it is to be a part of such a crew. To any creatives, find your art family and never let them go!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/thelowrystudio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelowrystudio/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/The-Lowry-Studio/100076659707539/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalyn-lowry/
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheLowryStudio The DayTime TV Show Tampa: https://www.wfla.com/daytime/discovering-the-beauty-of-resin-art/