Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayne Taylor.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shayne. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The story of how I became an artist starts in a little suburb just outside of Detroit. I grew up with a crayon in one hand, a stuffed animal in the other, my head in the clouds and a wish for adventure. There isn’t a day I can remember that didn’t involve exploring, drawing or making something. My family consistently encouraged my creativity and it eventually led me to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit where I graduated with a BFA in Illustration. I spent several years after graduation working full-time at a Detroit area gallery as an Art/Framing Restoration artist while also displaying my paintings in several Detroit galleries and exhibitions.
In 2007 I decided it was time for a change and moved to Chicago. I had no job lined up, no plan of action and no clue where to begin, but I was young and excited to start something new. My first few jobs in Chicago were at cafes. I continued painting, began working on a graphic art/design portfolio and participated in a few gallery shows and my first Art and Craft Show- The DIY Trunk Show. My third year in Chicago I took a job in a Conservation Lab that focused on restoring vintage circus posters and billboards. After 6 years, working full-time in the Lab and part-time on my own work, I decided it was time to shift the focus of my energy. I left the full-time lab position in 2015 to build my business—two years later I couldn’t be happier!
Not much has changed since I was a kid—I usually have a paint-brush in one hand, a kitty on my lap, my head still in the clouds and every day is an artistic adventure.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have been countless obstacles and challenges… I have struggles right now and I see more ahead too! I don’t necessarily want a smooth road though, these bumps and blocks are the things that I learn from and force me to look at things from a different perspective. That being said, a nice smooth break is welcome from time to time!
Currently, the biggest challenge for me is articulating these challenges. I find it exceptionally difficult to talk about myself and I often stumble through words to describe my artwork. I am a listener and a lady of few words, but I need to improve on finding my voice so I accepted this interview as a challenge and I’m here to conquer.
This articulation challenge goes hand-in-hand with another struggle—Marketing. The benefit of being a visual artist, in this case, is that my work can speak for itself—whether it’s a painting, poster, mural, logo or t-shirt you can immediately see the quality and creativity. What is not apparent at a glance is the dedication, professionalism, timeliness, and care that I put into every project. I’ve relied on the word-of-mouth of my clients, friends, and followers to share their thoughts on my work and experiences working with me. They are truly my most valuable marketing tools and I am sincerely grateful for their kind words and support.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Shayne Art story. Tell us more about the business.
Shayne Art is an artistic hub that produces high-quality illustrations, design, and murals.
As an illustrator, I produce original drawings and paintings in both traditional and digital mediums. I am able to produce work in a variety of styles, which gives me the ability to work on many types of projects. When I’m given total creative freedom it’s certain that I will illustrate something whimsical with plants and animals—and most likely those animals will be doing something like dancing or sipping tea with their other animal friends. There’s nothing I enjoy more than creating a whole new world.
My illustration work has been used for posters, packaging, logos, apparel, books, wall art and live sketching for both entertainment and business purposes. Having an illustration background can be very helpful while working on design projects.
A perfect example of how this is an advantage for me and my clients is a quarterly newsletter that I illustrate and design for the Enrollment Specialists. I was able to take their ideas, design a logo and page layouts with graphic illustrations, including a comic strip. I also have an understanding or production so I am able to prepare files that are ready for print, making it easier for both my client and their printing service. Combining illustration and graphic design is fun for me because I like the creativity with illustrating and appreciate the technical details of graphic design.
In addition to illustrating and designing, I love painting murals. This is especially true when I’m working with the Nancy Pochis Bank Art Studio crew or with my art partner Brandin Hurley. I spend most of my time working alone so It’s a nice change of pace to be able to work with other talented artists. The latest project that Brandin and I teamed up to design and execute is a 3 story outdoor mural for the Cambodian Association of Illinois in Lincoln Square.
My specialty and what I’m known for are my paintings on wood panel. I paint almost exclusively on birch wood panel when it’s my choice. Over the past few years, I’ve started using a scroll saw to cut the wood into shapes and experimenting with layered cuts of wood on my paintings.
My proudest moment as an artist was at an Art & Craft Show that wasn’t going particularly well. It was towards the end of the day when a woman and a little girl walked up to my table. The woman asked the little girl ‘Does this look familiar?’ as she held up one of my prints. The little girl now had a huge smile on her face as she looked at my art entitled ‘How Pigs Learned to Fly’. The woman went on to tell me that she bought this print from me before her daughter was born. Every morning since her daughter was born they wake up and talk about the all the animals that are in the picture.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The future of Shayne Art is not 100% clear and for me, that is a wonderful thing. I often find myself working on projects that I never dreamed of and I LOVE that about being an artist. 5 years ago I couldn’t have predicted that I would be illustrating a coloring book for an old-timey/new-fangled/country western band, designing a newsletter for an Insurance broker, executing a 54′ chalk mural in a Portland office or seeing Christmas stockings that I designed on store shelves across the country.
I thoroughly embrace the unpredictable nature of the industry. However, this does not imply that I don’t have career goals or business standards that I strive to meet; it means that I’m open to take a different path or make a new path if it feels right. There are a few things that I know will happen over the next 5-10 years; I will have a larger client base for both my illustration and design work, there will be more large-scale murals in my portfolio, ‘Illustrated by Shayne Taylor’ will be on the cover of at least 1 book and I will have access to a bigger studio/woodworking shop.
In addition to everything getting bigger in size, I also see myself exploring other mediums like sculpting, motion graphics and puppetry (I’m thinking Muppets).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shayneart.com
- Phone: 734-934-1878
- Email: shayne.art.world@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayneart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShayneArt/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShayneArt
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