Meet Shaun Wilson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shaun Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shaun below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Shaun with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

Ever since I was a child, I loved to create. I remember being in the 5th grade and cutting up burlap to make my own hair bows. I would cut the rough fabric into squares, wrap another piece of fabric vertically down the center, and hot glue an alligator clip to the back of it to position my newly hand-made bow right above my ponytail. My love for creating drives my work ethic. It’s an innate force that fuels me to produce artworks of all kinds.

Specifically with my craft now, the limitless possibilities of fiber art and crochet fashion drive me to create. I love fulfilling orders, creating new items for myself, and experimenting with different combinations of color and texture. A rush of serotonin fills my body when I’m able to bring a customer’s ideas to life. And the joy that I feel from seeing people wear my handmade garments cannot be put into words. I get my work ethic from the desire to create, inspire, and fulfil my purpose, which is to make art.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Along with being a full-time Fine Arts student at the moment, I am a crochet artists and fashion designer. I am also a content creator and advocate for holistic health and wellness. I operate an Etsy shop, NovalTreasures, where I sell my crochet pieces and create custom orders. Through platforms like YouTube and TikTok (Shaunkamryn), I share how-to tutorials for crochet projects.

What’s most exciting about being a crochet designer is the creative freedom I have. Using yarn and a hook, I’ve been able to create everyday pieces for my wardrobe like tank tops and skirts but also create my own evening dresses and create garments for others on their special occasions as well. I’ve also transferred my skills to the theatre world as I am a costume design assistant for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s Essential Theatre. I truly enjoy the capability to make my own clothes. It gives me the capacity not only to create unique pieces for myself, but to be able to refine my cr0chet skills and create complex pieces for others, too.

I am also exploring health and wellness as it is a niche that I feel well connected to and have much curiosity about. I’ve been vegan for over 2 years now, so this past summer, I wrote a vegan E-book for beginners with over 20 recipes (its available on my Etsy as well)! I enjoy cooking and sourcing wholesome ingredients to properly fuel my body, so I feel it’s only right that I share this passion with the world as well. Cooking is another form of creativity. It’s literally art making. Through my food, I am able to layer flavors and textures to create meals that are not only comforting and delicious but that aid me in optimal wellness. This, in-turn, gives me the fuel to continue crocheting!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three qualities that I would say are most impactful in my journey are unbound creativity, patience, and drive. Patience helps me see detailed projects through to the end. Crochet is a very tedious craft, so having patience and giving myself grace allows me to bring intricate garments into fruition.

For those early on their journey, having patience with yourself and in your craft is one of the many keys to success. Along with discipline and drive, patience is the tool that will enable you to learn a new skill, a new stitch, a new pattern, and it will aid you in trial and error during your creative journey. Having unbound, out-of-the-box creativity will set you apart from others in the same field as you. It can be intimidating to enter a niche you may deem “oversaturated”, but no one can create like you can create, so know that your space in this field can only be claimed by you.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

Balancing school, work, running an Etsy shop, and consistently producing content, overwhelm is a feeling that often comes over me, but I remain steadfast and faithful to God to overcome it. I know that what I am doing is within my purpose, and God would never give me any life situations beyond what I can handle. So, to regulate myself, I often make a warm, cozy drink (hot cacao is my personal favorite), burn an incense, maybe do a bit of yoga, and put whatever I’m working on away for a bit. Whether that length of time is 1 minute or 1 full day, I step away from projects that start to overwhelm me. I give myself rest because working in a state of burn-out is never fulfilling. I turn inward, turn toward God, and do things that make me feel good. Stretching, walking, watching TV; whatever feels best to me in that given moment.

To anyone struggling with feeling overwhelmed, I recommend making a to-do list and scheduling tasks in order of priority. While deciding whether to take a break from my homework or go to the store, my sister once told me “You can do your homework all night, but we can only go to the store while they’re open, so let’s go while we can.” This is a quote I always remember when it comes to making a list of priorities because the truth is, you can only do what you can, while you can. Understand what is truly important to you and complete your tasks from there. Take a step back, decompress, and return to the task when it feels right.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

For image on Noval Treasures Bikini Shoot (red and white bikini), the photographer is @smoothxstudios on Instagram

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,