We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sharanda (S.A.W) Wilburn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sharanda, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
At a time in my life I had to juggle multiple responsibilities. When I lost my job I had to make ends meet. I was watching a tv show called Ace of Cakes. I was ready to engage and started a new skill baking cakes.
Sharanda, 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?
Born & raised in Atlanta Ga. As a child I watched a family member sketch. So I decided to picked up a pencil & have not put it down since. As I got older, this love never faded & eventually I went to college to study art. Now I am proud to say that I am an Alumni of The Art Institute of Atlanta. I’ve been doing art all my life.
December 2017 CBS 46 news anchor Ms. Amanda Davis passed away. I painted a portrait of her & took it to the funeral home. Immediately I was on news cameras & was featured on CBS 46 News. July 2018 I began so get noticed for my art when I decided to paint former mayor of Atlanta, Mrs. Keisha Lance-Bottoms. After I met Mrs. Bottoms,
I was contact by a business woman name Mrs.Booker from Twitter who saw my Bottoms painting. Governor candidate Ms. Stacey Abrams was doing a campaign at one of her locations in Atlanta & asked me if I was interested in painting Ms. Abrams. Social media followers became to build up when Ms, Abrams posted a photo of her, myself with the painting. I began getting contact by many other politicians in Georgia.
February 2019 I was able to meet and present a painting to hip-hop artist/actress Queen Latifah. For a few years, I taught art for spring and summer art camp for Cultural Arts Center in Douglasville Ga. The executive manager Mrs. Lightner asked me if I was interested in painting positive affirmations on North Douglas Elementary restrooms stalls. I agreed & featured on Channel 2 WSBTV News. In 2020 Mrs. Lightner introduced me to a program called Art Pop Street Gallery, if chosen the artist art work would be displayed on a billboard for an entire year & I was chosen. The billboard reached Atlanta airport, public transportation (MARTA) advertisement, many states & internationally.
Mid 2020, Mrs.Booker had to board up her black owned business due to damages by the riots in Atlanta. Another artist & myself decided to gather 11 women artists & create a mural. We named it “Queensmural”. We wanted to focus on the women/mothers who were effected during the Black Lives Matter movement. I collaborated with another artist to paint congresswoman Mrs. Lucy McBath. The mural was featured on Fox 5 News & Atlanta Journal Constitution Newspaper. Some paintings were replaced, I was chosen to do 3 more murals so in all I had done 4 pieces for the Queensmural update. I painted Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Stacey Abrams, Mrs. Keisha Lance Bottoms. I met congresswoman Mrs. Lucy McBath, Breonna Taylor’s aunt, face time with Taylor’s father and Mrs. Bottoms for the third time. I was featured alone on 11 Alive, WSB-TV Channel 2 and Atlanta CW 69 News.
I was getting invited to major events like to The Masked Ball meeting and exchanging numbers with actors, actresses and other celebrities. A few months later I was contact by the City of Decatur and was commissioned to design a Black Lives Matter street mural for the community to help me paint. February 2021 I surprised congresswoman Mrs. Lucy McBath with a painting of her son Jordan Davis. The painting was featured on CNN. October 2021 WSB-TV Channel 2 news anchor Ms. Jovita Moore passed away and painted a portrait of her. I was featured on Channel 2 News in the memory of Ms. Jovita Moore.
January 2022, members of Families First, an organization supporting local children and families, commissioned me to do a ‘Thread of Resilience” mural on the building. The mural was unveiled March 31, 2022 and I was featured on CW 69 News.
Problems I think that I solve is that I can heal people with the gift that I have. I’ve received many hugs & thank you’s.
What sets me apart from others is my own quote… “Being an artist is not just about the arts, it’s also how you move with the talent.”
However, I use my creativity to transform ideas that appears dark to get a lighter perspective on surface level. I hope that looking Beyond The Masterpiece, can show others how to use unpleasant experiences as a path to a lighter heart.
I am most proud of completing my book called “Beyond The Masterpiece.” It was a very difficult task for me because I opened up my life after my mother’s death. I was able to paint my mother after 18 years had passed. I am so proud of that painting.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Making an example to anyone to make some positive out of their darkness. Inspiration, allowing myself to explore my creativity without perfectionism. Sometimes I make mistakes in my paintings & they end up being a beautiful mistake. No judgement drives my creative journey.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I’m able to paint moments of emotion in life as a permanent mark.” -S.A.W. Being able to create with a talent that God has blessed me with, witnessing my own growth, increasing positive emotions, reduces depressive symptoms, anxiety & the ability to express my emotions through a painting. Being creative helps me solve problems in a different way. I take many risks, facing my fears & have no doubts. I will also say that being able to create something new is always rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sawarts.com
- Instagram: www.instagram/iamsawart
Image Credits
JM photographics