We recently connected with Shae Stamp and have shared our conversation below.
Shae , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Ever since I was six or seven years old I’ve been holding a pencil and drawing on paper. My family told me stories of my obsession with drawing hockey players, especially goalies, from my favourite NHL team, the Detroit Red Wings. Eventually, I moved on from that and now engage in Lowbrow Surrealism as my primary artistic style. Maintaining creativity, from the point of my childhood till today, is a lifelong struggle and needs constant care. My method of keeping my creativity alive is threefold; my spirituality, embracing nature, and my connection to my Irish Newfoundland background.
My spirituality goes hand in hand with creativity. It helps me reach out to my subconscious mind and gives me plenty of ideas for my surrealist pieces. Nature, as well, appears a lot in my work. Whenever I am out among the birds and squirrels, my creativity gets sparked. Finally, and most importantly, my background is my main source of creativity. Folklore, music, and history are incredibly important as a Newfie and Irish person. Every time I listen to an Irish reel, browse folk tales, or read a historic text, I feel creativity flow so easily.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m originally from the rocky shores of Newfoundland. Growing up there, the arts were important to me and I always knew I would pursue that professionally. I consider myself to be a neurodivergent multi-disciplinary artist. I received a Bachelor of Arts from the Memorial University of Newfoundland with a focus in languages (English, German, French). After moving to Toronto in 2015, I went to Centennial College and received an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design. Upon graduation, I interned at various businesses and started freelancing. The most memorable moment was collaborating with Workman Arts, a not-for-profit organization that helps artists with mental health issues. Much later, I got certifications in UX/UI and was hired by an architectural firm. To me, UX/UI blends design with psychology. It helps solve real world problems and creates a world that is easier to navigate.
Currently, I am a visual arts instructor at CAMH, teaching art techniques to patients on several of their units. Landing this gig wasn’t something planned but I am incredibly passionate about it. As a person with a mental illness, it is rewarding to give back to the community in this way.
While pursuing these careers, I stayed active in the arts community as well. In 2016 I was part of the cultural hubspot at East York Civic Centre, helped design a mosaic mural on Coxwell and Danforth, and I performed sound poetry at The Centre for Communication and Poetry Research, curated by Annie Wong as part of Art of the Danforth 2016. The piece examined the tranquility of private thoughts that rise above the noise of the streets.
Most recently, I was part of the Organization for Islamic Learning art show on October 14th, 2023, in Vaughan and had my first solo show alongside Hanan Hazime called Forged From Stars, held at Show Gallery on Queen Street, February 23 – March 3rd, 2024.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I believe that my curiosity, adapting, and repetition were most impactful in my journey.
Curiosity :
In general, I am quite a curious person. When it comes to visual arts, I am curious about different styles, including the techniques of all the Dutch Masters, and am curious about the movements that occurred throughout history. A lot of my days are spent studying and learning about all of that. Doing so improved my abilities and broadened my skills.
Adapting:
Failing and encountering creative blocks are all part of the course for an intellectual. Adapting to that is a necessary skill. I’ve had frustrating periods of being unable to create what I love to create, but instead of giving up, I adapted to it by learning other skills. For example, I taught myself to whittle and use new musical instruments. Changing my focus helped me to destroy that frustration and, when I was ready, I returned to the canvas or paper and was able to create new works.
Repetition:
As a child, I spent hours learning shading techniques, blending, colour mixing, et cetera. That constant repetition is the main reason I transformed into a better artist.
My advice to any artist is to embrace the journey of learning—immerse yourself in knowledge, practice your techniques diligently, and don’t fear failure. Each setback is an opportunity for growth and discovery.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
One thing I can say for certain is that my parents fully supported my interest in the visual arts. They signed me up for watercolour classes, comic book classes, bought supplies, and encouraged me a lot. My room had stacks of full sketchbooks because I was always drawing and painting. After completing a piece, I’d excitedly go to my parents, Nan, and Pa to show them. They celebrated it and recognized my skill as something worthwhile. I now completely understand how impactful that was. Reflecting on my journey, that encouragement fueled my passion and ensured I never strayed from my creative path.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shams_creates/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shae-s-a9689475/
- Other: https://dribbble.com/CemeteryRiot
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
