10 (or so) Questions with Shawn Marshall

 

 

What do you like to listen to while working in your studio? 

Anything from Wet Leg to Kendrick Lamar

 

What do you daydream about? 

Having no day job 

 

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Having great relationships with my adult sons.

 

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

Entitled children

 

What was the worst job you ever had? 

A server at a very nice Italian restaurant in upstate NY

 

What’s a smell that instantly takes you back to a memory? 

Hospitals

 

Do you remember the first piece of art that moved you? 

A Monet painting

 

What’s one small daily ritual you can’t go without? 

Coffee with oat milk

 

What part of the creative process do you secretly enjoy the most and what do you avoid until the last possible minute? 

I love pouring the resin, hate painting edges.

 

What’s something non-artists would be surprised to learn about how you work? 

I don't have the patience to pre-plan or sketch so I don't do it.

 

What’s something you’ve become obsessed with lately? 

High-quality paper 

 

What’s a mistake that ended up influencing your work in a good way? 

I screwed up one of the first (of many) layers of resin I poured, learned you can pour another to mask the mistakes, but learned how much depth you can get the more layers you add

 

Do you work more from instinct or intention? 

I start with intention and the rest is instinct, so the work doesn't always turn out as originally planned.

 

What’s a sound you love? 

Our cats' trumpeting sounds  

 

What’s something you thought you’d outgrow but never did? 

How much I love pastries and fresh bread

 

What’s a habit you’ve developed that accidentally became part of your process? 

Collecting high quality magazines and books

 

What’s something you notice now that your younger self never would have? 

How much I love being by myself

 

What’s something you value more now than you did ten years ago? 

Silence

 

What’s something that consistently restores your energy? 

Silence

 

What’s a moment in life that quietly changed the way you see things? 

My father's death

 

What do you think people misunderstand about creative people? 

That talent = easy or very little work

 

What’s something you’re learning to trust more? 

My gut

 

What’s something you’ve become more protective of as you’ve gotten older? 

Time - with my kids and in my studio

 

What’s a creative risk that ended up being worthwhile? 

Pouring resin on paper  - there's a huge learning curve.

 

What kinds of objects or images are you instinctively drawn toward? 

Perspectives