We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Mello a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shannon, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My optimism is something that ebbs and flows constantly. I believe that thoughts become actions and that beginning with positive thinking is key. I am a huge believer in manifestation, the more detailed, the better. I think it originated at a young age from my dad. My dad had a very “can do” attitude. This paired with his many talents led me to think that it must have come from his mental state. It became an almost “I dare you” conversation with myself. I am a huge risk taker and problem solve my way out of situations that don’t work out quite as planned.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a mixed media artist who continuously experiments and pushes myself to try new things. We are complex creatures. I cannot settle for the mundane. I am most excited about new processes and strive to be a lifelong learner. I am very passionate about science, along with art, which in itself is all about experimentation. My artwork tends to be very atmospheric, natural, earthy, and grounding. I currently teach encaustic classes in Colorado Springs, and hope to launch an online forum/teaching process vlog.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One quality that I’d say has served me well is definitely the risk taking factor. I was a teacher with a solid career under my belt, teaching middle school art. I had a wonderful team and admin. Once covid hit, we were a bit hesitant to send our young children back to school se we decided to homeschool for a couple years. This, of course, required one of us to be home to teach the kids. By that time I had started dabbling with getting my artwork out into the community and thought I could potentially supplement our income with art. That risk has proven to be one of the best decisions of my life. My business degree background also helps with marketing myself. While it could always be better, it does give me a good idea on what’s required to promote yourself in the first place. The third quality would be my vulnerability. Honestly. I have learned to embrace these like no other. And guess what? Everyone has them. How comfortable it is to know that you are surrounded by other people who feel vulnerable in similar situations. Expressing these vulnerabilities allows me to take even more risks, which in turn inspires others to do the same.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I am overwhelmed I find it best to ground myself with hiking. We are so lucky to have so much land and open space in Colorado. Being overwhelmed is sometimes displayed by not knowing what to do next and becoming irritable…for me anyway. A quiet hike surrounded by green is a wonderful reset. It is absolutely essential for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shannonmelloarts.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonmelloarts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100043995586352
