Meet Shawna Gustafson | Artist and Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawna Gustafson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawna, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Making art and being creative is something I’ve done as long as I can remember. I’ve never been able to stop making things, so being able to make things for a living has always been my dream. Over the past month I’ve struggled with a recurring problem in my neck and shoulder that’s inhibited my ability to make art. It was excruciating to be physically unable to draw in the way I love. For several weeks I had to stop making anything at all to let myself heal, and it reminded me how important making art is to my daily life. It’s more than a career to me, it’s something fundamental to my existence. Knowing this has given me new passion for my art business, because I know that even if I weren’t using it as a career, I will still always be making art. It’s a part of me, so why not share that with the world to bring joy to others and myself!

The joy of making a piece of art is wonderful, but when I started my business I was filled with a new joy from seeing other people love it as much as I do! I’ve been selling my miniature watercolor paintings for a couple years, and few feelings compare to watching a customer’s face light up while browsing my art! Last year I had a child come up to my table and exclaim that my art gave them a “cuteness overload”! Compliments from children continue to be the most delightful and sincere! Moment’s like that keep me going and remind me how important art is for the world. Art doesn’t need to be big and profound to have an affect on people’s emotions. Especially recently, what a lot of people need is something whimsical and cute, to help them remember the joys of the little things in life, and rekindle that youthful magic.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an artist and illustrator working with a range of materials including watercolor, ink, and digital mediums. I have degrees in both art and biology, and see the two as more connected than many people realize. We can’t help but be inspired by the world around us, just as art inspires us to delve deeper into our understanding of our world and the creatures we share it with. Our natural world seems so magical to me, so I love to combine whimsical fantasy elements with our real nature to show that the difference is a matter of perspective.

I intended to launch my business in March of 2020, and well, a particular thing put that on hold! Given that I wasn’t able to sell my art at local art markets and conventions, I was able to redirect my energy into making an online shop. The pandemic may have put a hold on the first year of selling my art, but it showed me how important it is to be flexible.

A challenge I’ve had to overcome recently is a recurring injury to my neck and shoulder of my dominant arm. It’s something that began from overworking myself in college, and has continued over several years getting better and worse as I go. About a month ago it got a lot worse, and made me pause to reconsider if I’ll be able to continue perusing art as a career. I needed to pause and heal, and finally recognize and address this injury rather than avoiding it. The prospect of not being able to create art is a daunting one for me, both on a career level and personally. Discussing it with other artists has helped me to realize that injuries like this aren’t uncommon, and there’s a path to recovery. I’m extremely grateful for the perspective other artists have given me to address this, and I finally feel like I have the tools I need to heal and continue my dream of making art for the rest of my life. It may not be something I can heal from completely, but my art is worth fighting for, even if it’s uphill.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever I have a friend from out of state or abroad visit Boulder, my first place to take them is into the mountains! A lot of people who have never seen the Rockies don’t fully realize how huge they are, and how…well, rocky! I like to drive people up Boulder Canyon to Nederland, and then up Peak to Peak Highway. It’s a great drive, and gives people an appreciation for the scale of the mountains. Estes Park is another great choice if they’re up for a longer drive!

As for in the city, Pearl St is my go-to for any visitor, because there’s something there for everyone! My favorites being the Boulder Bookstore, KuCha Tea, the Dushanbe Teahouse, and Trident Cafe and Bookstore (I really like tea and books)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My grandma is a fantastic painter, basket weaver, and general creator in everything she does. She has always been a big inspiration and supporter of me and my art, encouraging my creativity as early as she could! My mom has pictures of me painting with my grandma while I was still in diapers! The interior of her house is filled with her paintings from floor to ceiling, and many of her paintings cover the walls of the house I grew up in! In addition to her acrylic and watercolor paintings she adds an artistic element to everything she touches, embellishing Christmas ornaments, walking sticks, and her artistically woven baskets. She has even turned some of the walls in her house into murals! She inspires me to find art in everything, and make everything into art.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnasaur/

Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShawnasaurArt email: shawnagustafson@gmail.com