Meet Shea Dailey

We recently connected with Shea Dailey and have shared our conversation below.

Shea, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I’d definitely say my family lent a major hand in helping me solidify my work ethic. My father is a freelance photographer based in Lawrence, KS, so I have always been exposed to artistic values and ways of perceiving life and the culture around me. They always inspire me to be more creative, loving, and accepting, and I know I have their support 100% in the path I chose as an artist. I’d also say my own motivation for curiosity, experimenting, and creating has always been strong, which I use to help launch my incentive for having a place in the artistic community.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a queer artist currently attending the Kansas City Art Institute (grad. 2026). In my work, I utilize a variety of materials, from acrylic and charcoal to fibers and wire, attempting to encapsulate the dichotomies of personal and internal relationships. My process involves crafting distinctive, hand sewn frames and the entanglement of abstracted, lanky bodies. Although there is a sort of methodology used to create these figures, each one is unique and unrepeatable, reflecting the inherent impermanence of humans and their connections with one another. I am intrigued by cultural development, community, and relationships, and portraying the unspeakable and contradicting feelings inherent in humans. The things that inspire me most to create include social conditions, internal bias, feminism, and spending time with likeminded individuals.

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

Something important in pursuing a career in the arts is being flexible and accepting of change. Knowing that nothing lasts forever is a major motivator for me to try and create a body of work that connects with people and encapsulates our point in time, regardless of the identity of the viewer. Another important factor is being relentless in your creativity, trying things out just for the sake of doing it, and not adhering to the rules you don’t agree with. To do this, one must be disciplined in their morals and principles of life. Something that majorly influences my work is ideas surrounding queer theory and intersectional feminism, specifically writings by Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, Joanna Freuh and others from this movement towards greater equity and acceptance, regardless of class, race, or gender identity.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

One of the biggest challenges I face as an aspiring artist is a feeling of stagnation in my style or subject matter. I work through ruts like these by experimenting with new materials, researching my interests, or even taking a break from creating until I can come back with fresh eyes and new perspectives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sheadailey.com
• Instagram: sh.ea.d

Image Credits

myself