We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shay Phillips. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shay below.
Hi Shay, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
Being the only one in the room is tough. Everything in your mind tells you that you don’t belong there. And when you’re a Black woman who is a creative, this happens ALL the time! I’ve learned to now appreciate my unique point of view in situations I’m in. I tell myself, “Yes, I’m the only Black woman in this room, but that’s why my ideas and opinions are even more important in this moment.”
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?
Currently, most of my creative time goes to Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, serving as their Marketing and Communications Director. I oversee the brand, both written and visual, and have the privilege of knowing that what I do every day helps aspiring homebuyers purchase their first home.
Outside of my work with Atlanta Habitat, I’m currently working on a graphic design series that I’m excited to launch soon, some documentary work and also taking every opportunity that comes to do moving portraits. These days I spend a lot of my spare time doing passion projects to explore more of my creativity. I allow myself to be my own client so that I’m not only creating work for Atlanta Habitat or outside clients but for myself, too.
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?
Flexibility – The creative field is always changing. People think that it’s taking the more difficult path to “go against the grain” and do what you’ve always done instead of changing with the times. But I’d argue that it’s much harder to allow yourself to change and get out of the comfortable spot you’ve always been it when it comes to creating. Allow yourself to be flexible and merge who you are as a creative with new technologies and trends of today. There’s certainly always still a way for your creative voice to shine through even if your process is different.
Curiosity – My curiosity is the reason I’ve gone so much further than photography today. Once I learned the camera, I wondered how easy it would be for me to shoot video with all of the lighting knowledge I had from photography. Then, I wondered if I could edit my own footage like I edited my own photos. Then I started to wonder if I could make my own work pop more with design elements. Fast forward to now and I’m equipped with photo, video and graphic design skills and a visual communication and media design degree.
Confidence – Have the confidence to be yourself as a creative. When I went to art school, I felt like so many people had similar hobbies outside of school, they had similar styles, similar music they liked, etc. There was this “artistic way” you were supposed to look and be and I just didn’t naturally fit in the mold. But gaining more confidence in my uniqueness made me a. better artist and also helped me understand the areas where I’m most valuable. I realized that I wasn’t like a lot of my peers because the spaces I wanted to bring my creativity into were very different. Always have the confidence that who you are is what makes your art so unique.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
There are 2 very significant things my parents did for me as a teenager that shaped the creative I am today. The first thing is instilling the travel bug in me at 15. I was 15 when I took my first trip overseas and had the opportunity to learn and see how different people are in other cultures and it was one of the most beautiful experiences that has still shaped the way I see people today. My level of wanting to understand people was heightened tremendously because of that experience and it allows me to appreciate the subtle nuances of people in my art today.
The second thing is buying me my first real camera as a teenager. They took a chance to believe that my wanting to take pictures was more than just a hobby but a potential career…and I haven’t put a camera down since.
Contact Info:
- Website: ToshePhillips.com
- Instagram: _shaybutter_
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toshephillips/
Image Credits
Andrew Phillips, Toshé Phillips
