We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shalese Sands a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Shalese with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I’ve always had a strong work ethic as far back as I can remember. A great deal of that has come from example by others–especially my parents. My parents taught us kids the importance of a good work ethic, and how that can take you far if you give it your best. I’ve always taken that advice to heart and have seen its benefits. The people who try their best, give it their all, and do honest work go far in life. They are the ones who accomplish their dreams and succeed. If you never give it your best, you will never know what possibilities you may have missed. And if there’s a chance your dreams can come true, why wouldn’t you want to give it your all?
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a wildlife/equine artist who works in scratchboard, oil/acrylic painting, and drawing. Animals have always been a source of inspiration for me and I travel often to get reference photos of my subjects. Africa and Alaska are a couple places I’ve visited multiple times for reference photos and are definitely places I aim to keep returning to.
As of July last year, I’ve been able to fulfill my dream of becoming a full-time artist. This is something I’ve wanted since I was about 4 years old and I haven’t regretted it one bit yet! It’s incredible to me the opportunities that have opened up because of it and it’s truly invigorating that I’m able to wake up everyday and create beautiful things. The sky’s the limit for where I can go and what I can achieve, and I can’t wait to see how everything unfolds.
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?
There are definitely more than three qualities that have been useful, but these are probably the most impactful for me: hard work, determination, and patience.
First of all, hard work is a no-brainer. If you slack off constantly or aren’t willing to put in the effort for a dream, it will never become a reality. I have yet to meet someone who put in the hard work for a dream of theirs and never saw anything come from it. Even if your dream doesn’t become a reality, the skills and benefits you receive from a strong work ethic will benefit you in so many other ways in your life. A lot of people want things “spoon-fed” and given to them–the path of least resistance. However, this will never benefit you in the long term. Hard work builds your character and allows you to see what you are truly capable of. You’ll never know what’s possible if you don’t put in the work!
Determination also goes along with hard work. As an artist especially, you won’t be able to achieve long-term success if you don’t put in the hard work and have determination. I’m a very self-motivated person, and that has helped me tremendously. For me, the more rejection I receive, the more it lights a fire in me and gives me the incentive to prove I can do better. Especially if you are your own boss, you need to be determined and self-motivated–nobody else will do that for you!
The final one is patience. This one is hard for most people, including myself. We want things instantly or to be able to see the results of our efforts over a shorter period of time. But this isn’t how patience is developed, nor how it works. Trust goes hand-in-hand with patience, and you have to learn to trust that if it’s meant to happen, it will. But it might not be in your own timing, and you have to be okay with that. If you put in the hard work and are determined to see it through, regardless of how long it takes, I feel you will be rewarded for your efforts.
Each of these require effort and don’t usually come naturally. However, they are worth pursuing. Start small, with achievable goals, and build from there. You can eventually build up to loftier goals and dreams and see your efforts pay off. Trust me, it’s worth it!
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
So many people! Pretty much every person in every stage of my life so far has impacted me and been an encouragement to me. From parents, to family, teachers, coworkers, fellow artists, and friends, each of these people has allowed me to learn essential skills, knowledge, and qualities throughout my life. I’ve learned through trial and error, through triumph, through mistakes, and through friendly advice. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them! You don’t become who you are in isolation. You need a community of people who love you, have your back, and are willing to support you with your efforts and your dreams. I’m thankful for the guidance each has provided in their own way over the years. Thank you to you all! And last, but certainly not least, I can’t deny the fact of how much God has helped guide me through every aspect of my life. He has built in the foundations of who I am as a person, given me circumstances and opportunities to further my skills, and brought people into my life who have helped shape me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Him!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shalesesands.com
- Instagram: @shalesesands
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/shalesesands
