Meet Shayla Hufana

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shayla Hufana a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shayla, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

The first people that come to mind are my parents. It didn’t matter the circumstance — they always made sure my brother and I were taken care of. I had heart surgery when I was a baby, and in the early ’90’s, we lost my youngest sister. Through every obstacle our family had gone/goes through, regardless if they agree or not, my parents show me patience and grace. To love deeply and be there for others when I am able to be, because life is not promised tomorrow. My parents are the epitome of what it means to be hardworking, understanding, selfless and loving, even around difficult circumstances. They, along with my wife, kids and extended family (including my best friends) are my greatest blessings.

This has been a reflection of how I am in the art and design world. For example, if something doesn’t turn out the way I had hoped or someone is treating me less than, I take notes from the situation to find the holes where I can improve/better myself in future similar situations. Sometimes, I also come to a realization and accept that whatever it was, I wasn’t a right fit for it/them … or they weren’t a good fit for me. When I’m designing with/creative directing others, I make time to get to know them. I show empathy for things that come up. I offer advice when I can to help them succeed and be more confident. As a bonus, while I’m doing this, I’m learning and becoming a better leader myself through conversations with them.

I’m grateful for all relationships in my life, past and present. I am who I am today, and forever learning, because of all who surround me.

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?

I’m a Filipina-American artist and multidisciplinary graphic designer originally from Seattle, WA. Since I was young, I’ve always had a love for learning the meaning behind something, whether it be a person, place or thing. I like expressing myself through creative writing and drawing/painting. My works are known to be vibrant, organic, playful and geometric. I create to tell stories of my culture, identity, heritage and lived experiences of all I see in the world. Through my art, I try to be a voice of hope, love and inspiration for those around me.

Since 2008, I’ve been fortunate to gain a wealth of professional experience working as a graphic designer, art/creative director and production artist in a wide range of industries including aerospace, food/bar, healthcare, makeup/beauty, retail, sports, nonprofits and more. In 2011, I started working as a freelance artist/designer, which is when I founded ConceptShell Art and Design Studio. Outside of my full-time design jobs, I wanted to use my skills to provide support and motivation, especially to the youth and people who run small/local businesses. I’m especially passionate about helping AAPI, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people amplify their brands and voices for things that matter most to them.

After many years of hard work and dedication to my clients, I am honored to have been recognized as a recipient in many design awards publications including Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), Indigo Design Awards, Hermes Creative Awards and Anthem Awards. In 2023, I’m proud to say I was listed in GDUSA’s 60th anniversary People to Watch publication alongside 50 US graphic designers.

I try to use my time in places where I am able to volunteer and have a say to make good change. I’ve served as a co-chair for the Seattle chapter at SEGD (Society of Experiential Graphic Design), and was one of the first advisory members of their Racial Justice Commission group. When at Boeing, I was an executive board member in Boeing’s Black Employees Association where I helped consult and design employee informational materials and external cultural news.

After I had my first kid (during the beginning of the pandemic), I felt something was missing. I began to submit my work to public art postings during the pandemic. This was something I was afraid to do before because the thought of public art was out of my comfort zone. In 2022, I got selected for my first gig to design a utility box for the WNBA Seattle Storm in partnership with the nonprofit organization, Urban ArtWorks. Since then, I’ve been able to create public art to promote racial equity and opportunities around the Seattle community. My works are an extension of myself and the things I value. You can find a few from Seattle to Everett and near the Space Needle. It has been an amazing experience to be in art shows and group exhibitions. A few include: Capitol Thrill, PublicDisplay.ART, Making Gigs Work for City of Seattle, and the Times Square Exhibition with Artists United NYC.

If you’d like to checkout my previous work or come to an event I’ll be at, please checkout my website at concept-shell.com, or say hi on Instagram @shayla.ad ! Recently I had a blast vending at Seattle Pride’s Pride in the Park and PrideFest at Seattle Center. For future events, you can find me at a few places: Pista Sa Nayon (Filipino festival), July 28; Yoroshiku (restaurant) art gallery in December and other small markets. Stay tuned for exciting news of my work coming up in the sports industry later this summer.

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?

I wasn’t always great at what I do. And shy about sharing my work. When I began to accept my potential of this dream of mine, I stopped worrying about what others thought. I pushed through with great, wild ideas that made sense to me. I practiced presenting so I could better my communication with different people. I started to place myself in uncomfortable situations where I could learn and grow. It was then when I began to finally feel welcomed, seen and accepted for who I am, the skills I have, and how hard I work.

With that said, I’d say the three qualities, skills, or areas or knowledge that were most impactful in my journey are:
– Be consistent
– Believe in yourself
– Be unapologetically you

The advice I often give to people who are early in their journey to best develop or improve on these is:
Work hard, but listen to and exercise your mind, body and soul. Try not to take anything personal. Practice communication skills, be consistent and resilient. You don’t know everything… listen and learn from others who are different from you, old and young. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Be respectful and remember to try and have empathy for others. We never know what someone is going through.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes, I’d love to connect with anyone who can help me move in the right direction when going about funding/grants, and also speak with those who need my services. In the near future, I want to be able to hire others (interns, designers, animators, copywriters, project managers and more) to expand my studio. When I’m able to do this, I’ll be able to continue to do what I love most — to help local individuals/businesses in the community through art and design. I also enjoy vending at markets. If there’s something people know of that relates to my story, I’d love to check it out!

P.S. If there is anyone out there in the sports industry (especially basketball) who needs an artist/designer, I’d love to chat! Sports is my jam.

And if you got all the way to this point, thanks so much for reading!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

“Somewhere Forever” mural at Greenlake Senior Living, 1st place painting competition, Renton, WA (image JOYSHA_FAJARDO-8308.jpg) – Photo credit: Joysha Fajardo, photographer

“We Are Human” utility box illustration (image shaylahufana-seattlestorm-box2.jpg) – Photo credit: WNBA Seattle Storm
https://x.com/seattlestorm/status/1522655208114847744?s=20&t=dZU0NmoJKHk_PDQn_cJXng

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