Bethann Shannon
Seattle, Washington
Age 68
What keeps you excited in the studio?
MAKING ART!! Fresh Blank Possibilities!!
Looking back at your trajectory as an artist, how would you say your work has developed?
From real life…processing real life!
What role do you think the artist has in today’s society?
We, as artists, are powerful & important! We are teachers, messengers, leaders, truth tellers, whisle blowers, lovers of life!
What’s the most important advice you could give to an aspiring artist?
A real artist MUST make art! Keep making art! Don’t stop! Do it happy, sad, mad! Do it daily! It’s not easy to make a living as an artist, so accept & surrender to that! Do not let money be a motivation ever!!…Art is Inner work! Until you are able to make money from your work, you may study something related to make a living…for example, study Graphic Design, which can still satifsy your artistic urges & financially support your passion! No matter what the situation…MAKE ART!
Does age matter in art? Why or why not?
Like wine…we get better! Yet, I still feel like a kid inside! (I wish my body would agree!)
What can we look forward to from you next?
I’m focusing on a screenplay from a play I wrote, my (graphic) memoirs, along w/several interactive books. I’m loving going out on the street with “ART (therapy) IN THE PARK’ & performance art in my local community. I’m sharing my life & healing adventure. Art saves me daily! I encourage art making & hope I can inspire that in others. Art is Life! Art Heals!
Is there anything else you would like to share about being an artist later in life?
I am neurodivergent. It’s my Super Power but it has wreaked havoc at times in my life & also brought enormous gifts & beauty!.
flickr.com/theartangel
https://www.facebook.com/bethann.shannon/
