Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Shawna Gardner of Milwaukee, WI

We recently had the chance to connect with Shawna Gardner and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawna, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
What makes me lose track of time, and find myself again, would have to be working on artwork while I am listening to music. When I work on a piece of art, I often put on a variety of music in order to facilitate a faster and more enjoyable experience as I am working. As I was growing up, I was in a number of choral groups where I learned a lot on how to sing, how to control my breathing, and to follow the music. When I work now, I often slip into those lessons while singing as I work. The soaring music eases my mind’s distractions and allows me to slip away while painting, drawing, or working on other forms of art and lose track of time. My preference in music can range from classical, rock, and country to alternative, pagan or folk music, and soundtracks of both musicals and animated movies. There is a special feeling when listening to music that pulls at my heart and makes me want to sing that helps me forget about time and get into a flow of working on art that can make a day both relaxing and productive.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Shawna Gardner and I am a full time, freelance artist working under the studio name Twining Tree Creations. I graduated in 2014 from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. While earning my degree, I chose a specific degree in Drawing because it allowed me the widest variety of elective courses from drawing, printmaking, and painting in oil, watercolor, and acrylic to glassblowing, woodwork, and metals. This interest in a wide variety of mediums comes from my love of exploring as many different types of art as I can. While my expertise lies most in charcoals and detailed illustrations, I love to explore the textural and design differences in art mediums. This relates to my work now through my love of providing as many custom commission types to my clients as possible. If you dream it, I can make it. If I can’t, I will help in finding an artist who can. Another unique aspect of my work would be my interest in connecting the scientific and spiritual aspects of our world around us. I love to create realistic illustration studies of animals and plants while researching information about the natural world from biology and botany to spiritual symbolism and cultural importance. Exploring the way our world works in both a rational and fantastical way then expressing this in an artistic fashion to bring education and beauty to as many as I can. My additional drive as an artist is to provide someone through which the every day person can order artwork that makes their soul and hearts happy.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
The people who taught me the most about work would have to be my parents and grandparents. My mother is a unique and driven woman whose artistic viewpoint through her photography naturally taught me how to view the world in a new way. I could always be found as a kid laying in a field of grass taking macro photography of the smallest plants and insects. Viewing the world in a way that was entirely different. She inspired me to spend time in nature, to research the world around me, and to be strong physically and mentally. My father’s focus on building a solid foundation in life influenced me to be intelligent about my choices in finances and home. On my mother’s side, my grandparents, Bubba and Zeyde, were teachers. My grandmother, Bubba, being an award winning teacher. This emphasis on intelligence, research, and literacy aided in my natural love of intellect and reading to reinforce my interest in adding educational aspects to my artwork. On my father’s side, my grandparents were business owners with a variety of successful businesses. This gave me the courage to know that I could run my own business with hard work, dedication, and flexibility.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
One of the last things that I changed my mind about that affected my work as an artist would be the decision to create and sell prints of my artwork. For many years, I was determined to create only original works of arts so that the every day person could have access to paintings on wood and canvas, woodburnings, charcoals, and other art that they may not be able to find in other ways. While galleries provide some of these, it can often be out of the range of price or location for many people. My goal was to be an artist who could bring these types of art to every person. I am highly inspired by the fresco paintings of previous civilizations where walls on every surface would be painted and beautified to bring art to every corner of a person’s life. However, I realized as I grew as an artist and a business person, that having all original artworks was both limiting and stressful. It was a hard decision for myself to finally create prints of works. While I lost some of the one of a kind aspects of certain paintings and illustrations, it also allowed me to provide my wildlife and nature photography as artwork for others and to sell artwork of each type to multiple people. While many people love traditional artworks, it is not always an option for them to buy when space or money is an issue. So, allowing myself to relax and provide prints of my artwork was a big step.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A project that I am committed to no matter how long it takes would be the Therian Oracle card deck that I am currently working on. Much of my work focuses on the connection of spiritual and scientific education around animals, nature, and our connections to the natural world. How animal and nature symbolism can relate to us as humans and as living creatures within a natural world. My Therian Oracle deck is a series of animal illustrations featuring the Therian symbol of a circle and triangle. This represents the animal self we all have within us and our it relates to our human self. Each card has an animal, plant, crystal, and element each all detailed in a realistic manner to bring the natural beauty of each forward. Along with the illustrations for each card, I also do a full research pamphlet for all four aspects of the drawing. Researching the spiritual and scientific aspects such as how the crystal was formed, the symbolism of the animal, and the growth of the plant or tree shown. While these have taken a long time to develop, and are still currently in development, I am excited for the day when the entire deck is completed. Once done, this card deck will be an educational, artistic, and spiritual resource to use in a fun and interactive way when doing card readings. Allowing the user to explore their path, their mind, and how they relate to the world in a way that inspires mental flexibility and growth that can be applied to their every day life.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days. 
One of the most excited moments I have as a full time artist would be when I am traveling to vend at various conventions. I have a regular list of conventions I have been vending and selling artwork at for around 10 yrs. During these events, I am setting up a booth space in a room with a plethora of other artists all setting up and selling their own unique and beautiful artworks. There are special moments during this time either during set up or throughout the day where I suddenly find myself hyper aware of the sounds and energy of the room. The shuffle of paper. The mix of bellowing laughter and hushed moments of working quiet. It is this warm, companionable sensation that permeates the room when artists are all gathered together that makes my heart truly soar. Moments like these are what help truly inspire me to hold tight to my artist life and make my business long-lasting and successful so I can continue to be around artistic and beautiful people such as the various communities I have and love.

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