Today we’d like to introduce you to Shay Taylor.
Hi Shay, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been a creator since I was a child. I was blessed with two creative parents: a father who was trained in fine art, and a mother who was always crafty. Because of my surroundings, I was inspired to get my hands messy right out the gate. I remember entering drawing contests as young as 10 years old, and even painting a Tinkerbell mural in my bedroom when I was around 8 years old. My hustle has always been there as well, earning my first art commissions around middle school. Even though I’ve been creating for nearly three decades, I would say my true artistic voice didn’t blossom until about 6 years ago when I started exploring the realm of digital art. Creating digitally allowed me to be more experimental, which translated back into my drawings and paintings. Exploring the surreal and the fantastical has reshaped my vision and the way I see the world around me. All of these things have led me to become the abstract, funky, colorful creative that I am today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I think my biggest struggles have been fear and self-doubt. I have a terrible habit of comparing myself to others and I have been my own worst critic. Of course, being self-critical can be a huge strength if it is guided by love and kindness. I have had to work on using my critiques to praise and enhance my work, rather than using it to bully myself and my talent. I have had to remind myself that pursuing my art is worth my time, and that my artistic voice deserves a platform to be heard. Your journey should be an evolution, which means there will always be new things to work on. It is only when I remember that this is a blessing and not a curse that my art truly shines and the road becomes smooth sailing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a self-proclaimed jack of all trades. I paint, draw, create digital illustrations and graphic designs, sew, write, carve, burn, and more. My two biggest loves are acrylic paint and digital illustration, but I’m an ADD woman who can’t resist dabbling in new things, which is apparent in the art I create. I am known for my color and my abstract/surrealist style. I am obsessed with bright colors and rarely create anything with a limited palette. I believe that my vision is what sets me apart from others. I love creating images that are based in realism, but have dream-like aesthetics. I love themes that are based in spiritualism or that explore elements of mental health. As someone diagnosed with Bipolar II, I also often dive into themes of duality and emotional expression. I love art that both dives into my soul and also pushes the bounds of the way we see the world around us.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Just keep going. Whatever your goal is in life, you will always be faced with obstacles. One of the biggest obstacles in life will always be yourself, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There will be times that things feel difficult or impossible. Sometimes your dreams will feel bigger than reality. But YOU are your biggest asset. Your voice is magic and whatever you are creating (even if it isn’t art) deserves to exist in the world. Even if it seems like things aren’t working out, or if it seems like things are taking too long, never give up on yourself. Just keep going.
Keep practicing, growing, and showering yourself with love and patience. You will get there, you just have to keep chugging.
Contact Info:
- Email: shay@lunatrixart.com
- Website: www.lunatrixart.com
- Instagram: @_lunatrix
Image Credits
Alivesinsideink Photography
