Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaina Manuel.
Hi Shaina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Thanks so much for having me, happy to be here. My story? My story doesn’t feel like a story; it feels like a maze I’m still navigating. Born and raised in Northern Virginia, I’ve always loved to draw. As I grew, other interests came and went, but I always found my way back. It was a way to entertain as well as express myself. Right after high school (2012), I migrated south to attend the University of South Carolina (Columbia.) Those four years were not easy. I don’t mean in an academic sense (although that wasn’t always a piece of cake.) I had to grow and learn a lot about myself the hard way. I won’t go into details, but I felt tetherless searching for an identity at one point. I ended up throwing myself into drawing and my art classes. It was something to funnel my energy towards, and it became a bit of a lifeline.
In 2016, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Art Education and landed a job teaching elementary art in Richland Two. I was like, “Okay, this is it then.” Thinking I’d have to give up artmaking as I had known it. I couldn’t juggle both with just 24 hours in a day. How little I knew. Two weeks into the school year, a fellow teacher who became a bit of a mentor asked if I would draw two of her beloved dogs who’d passed. I leapt! Unbeknownst to me, she placed the portraits in the workroom, and they took off! Every weekend for the next five years was filled with drawing pets, houses, and family members! I couldn’t have been happier. It wasn’t the same as before, but I’d found a way to make it work. Plus, this gave me a safe space to continue practicing my craft. I learned a great deal during this period.
In 2021, my artmaking shifted again. I moved closer to downtown Columbia and worked at a middle school in Richland One. Now, I was finding my art becoming more public-facing and had a few strokes of serendipitous luck! For example, I was waiting for takeout at a local restaurant one rainy Saturday evening. I started a conversation with the person in front of me, who happened to be an arts coordinator for West Columbia! We exchanged information, and a few months later, I participated in local art festivals such as Fall Back Fest. While participating, one of the attendees happened to be the owner of Zesto’s, a prominent restaurant in the area. They asked if I’d ever done window paintings. I had not, but I was happy to learn! From there, I have done countless windows at over 10 private residences and businesses in the area.
Additionally, I have been tiptoeing in the world of murals. During 2022, I did several, and the work’s process, size, and public nature kept me coming back. In 2023, I was part of the Community Mural Institute in Burke County. This was a game changer and feels like an opportunity of a lifetime. We learned how to create a PolyTab Mural with community involvement from beginning to end. Presently, I have many pots on the stove. I participate in local art markets, selling prints and offering live portraits. I continue to commission portraits and personal art. I leap at the mural and window painting opportunities and love the calm of illustrating children’s books. I’m not exactly sure what my next steps forward are, but I am confident. I still have my fingers crossed that the universe will come up to meet me as I take it.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s more like navigating through a dense fog on a bumpy back road. The struggle is real, and I’m encountering two stubborn roadblocks more often than I’d like. First, there’s all the things I don’t know. I’m afraid to ask questions for fear of seeming incompetent. Instead, it appears that, at times, I’d rather walk confidently in the wrong direction to save face. Then there’s the cosmic conspiracy of having only 24 hours a day. As a public educator, my creative endeavors are confined to weekends and summers, which feels fleeting and insufficient. I need to be more. However, on the flip side, teaching has been my crash course in self-discovery. It’s a bit like a double-edged sword – it demands a lot, but it’s taught me more about myself and the art of creating than I could ever teach my students. I’m still on the road, navigating the fog, armed with curiosity, a sense of humor, and a deep appreciation for the chaos.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
This is the most challenging question. What do I do, and what sets me apart? It’s like describing a color to someone who’s never seen it. I’ve always been private, but art is the way to bridge the gap between my internal world and the outside one. It’s my method of self-expression, a controlled unveiling of my inner world. I wanted people to feel something if I had to put a singular goal for my creation. I don’t like letting people in, but I think art is how I do that. With art, people get to make meaning out of what they see. I mean it one way. It’s just an image. But using their creativity, viewers make it personal to them. I do like that a lot.
I also like helping and making them feel seen, understood, and not alone. It would be twofold if I had to pinpoint what I’m known for. Among my close circle, I’ve earned a reputation for capturing beloved pets, especially the eyes. In the broader public eye, my window paintings have become a signature. Whether it’s a furry friend or a festive scene, these windows are like portals into different worlds. I’m just happy creating. I don’t know what sets me apart, and maybe that’s not a good answer when you’re trying to promote yourself, but that is my answer. I’m here simply because I love it, and a day where I don’t get to do ‘my art’ is a day that I don’t love. Ultimately, what I do is an extension of who I am, and I’m still figuring it out. It’s not about self-promotion; it’s about sharing a piece of my world and, in doing so, hopefully, resonating with someone else’s.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Oh, I love this question. You can probably gather from previous answers that I have benefited from some luck. Luck, both the good and the ‘wait and see how this turns out’ good, has played a part in my journey. There have been moments when the stars seemed to align in my favor – chance encounters leading to unexpected opportunities, like the rainy Saturday evening at a local restaurant. I also believe that hard work, doing the right things, showing up, and treating an opportunity as just that can lead to more ‘luck.’ However, I also see luck on the less glamorous side. The kind that teaches hard lessons and nudges you to grow. The struggles during college and the period of feeling untethered were challenges that I am immeasurably grateful for today. This led to a deeper understanding of myself, resilience, and trust in the universe. Looking back, I was put in situations where I could learn from my mistakes with relatively low stakes, and help was available when I asked. In both the highs and lows, luck has been a companion, sometimes leading the way and, at other times, nudging me quietly. I’d be wrong if I didn’t acknowledge the role it or something has played in my life and business, embracing the fortunate moments and navigating the challenging ones with a sense of curiosity and resilience. It’s these situations that keep my journey unpredictable and exciting.
Contact Info:
- Website: shainasart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shainasart/
