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

Shannon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

My first sale was a huge validation that my idea was a cool one and that other people appreciated what I was doing as much as I did. One huge lesson I learned from my first sale is that – I didn’t need the sale in order to call myself an artist. I’ve been an artist my whole life but I never felt confident saying so until my first sale. Looking back, that was a mistake and insecurity. So having my first sale means more to me than just turning my skills into revenue, because it released a new confidence in me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I am a San Francisco based mixed media sculpture artist utilizing recycled bicycle parts as the focus. My pieces are a representation of taxidermy trophy heads. A bicycle saddle is used for the head and face while other parts of the bike, such as handlebars, forks, and brake levers are used for the antlers. The bike parts are collected from local shops and much of the other material, such as the wood mounts, are found objects from the sidewalks of San Francisco. The inspiration comes from years of being a bike messenger and having a passion for repurposing materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Each piece has a unique personality by utilizing different materials, colorways, and sometimes fabrics, chains, crystals, etc.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

My favorite part of being in artshows is watching people stand around and discuss my work or take pictures. It is rewarding to have something that I love doing so much contribute to people’s visual stimuli as they go about their night and enjoy their life. I am always meeting new people and sharing ideas through my artwork so I love the connections that are formed.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission is mostly just feeding my art making addiction. Making art is a form of therapy and a basic need like breathing and eating. I set goals for myself to make sure that I market and push sales in different formats so that I can have room to keep making more pieces :)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shannonglasheen.com
• Instagram: shannon_glasheen_art