March's PAEA Student Artist of the Month is
SHANNON Y!
Shannon attends Strath Haven High School and was nominated by PAEA member Regina Iannello.
What Regina has to say about Shannon:
I believe Shannon should be selected as artist of the month because although she's only in 10th grade, she already shows so much artistic promise with her digital and traditional art. She was selected as a recipient of our district's prestigious George Slick Fellowship award that awards a freshman the opportunity for a solo exhibit at the end of their junior year and also a bit of grant money to help with an exploration of their own body of work in addition to the regular classes offered at the high school.
Shannon is incredibly talented and also was selected as a recipient of a scholarship through Moore College of Art & Design during her freshman year. Currently she is the art Editor-in-Cheif for our school's literary magazine, Jabberwocky, which she oversees the layout for as she instructs and guides other artists and designers to create a cohesive publication.
Shannon is a creative, talented and most importantly kind. She is a student who is never shy to help others but she also takes direction well and deserves special recognition for her continues enthusiasm and love for art & design. I can't wait to see where her artwork takes her next!
"My biggest influence is my art teacher, Mr. Lu. He has been there from the start, and he taught me the fundamentals about drawing, sketching and eventually oil painting.
I think art education is important for helping younger kids discover their passions, and for older kids who want to pursue art to get a chance to chase their dreams."
When asked what advice she you give to other artists, Shannon said,
"There will be times where you look at your art and you only see what's wrong with it, and you think everything looks horrible. However, don't let that get to your head, it just means that your brain got better at spotting tiny flaws and imperfections, and your hand just needs to catch up. Just push through and you'll come out better on the other side."