Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Kennedy.
Hi Shelby, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins with three females. A mother and two daughters. It is only through our unified bond that we have all been able to be successful and how I am here to tell a story at all. I am the oldest daughter. My mother has always supported my passions and pursuits, even if she wasn’t sure how to get there. I have always told stories, whether it was visual or written. My mother and I were the first in our family to go to college. Even though we weren’t sure what we were doing, we blindly went for it. Fast forward five years, we both have degrees. I am a proud SCAD Alumna, B.F.A in both Illustration and Writing. My mother, sister, and I got what we came for in Savannah, so we came back home. Currently, my family and I reside in Charleston where I serve by day, create at night. I am working to become a full-time freelancer.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think that anything worthwhile is a smooth road. It seems that most people want us as individuals to follow the flow instead of a creating a new one. Innovation never comes with the flow; innovation and leaders come from branching out and finding what works best for you and your dreams. Otherwise, the dreams will never become a reality. Yet, when we start learning for ourselves and searching for answers-we can find what is really best. I wasn’t sure how to get into college. So I took out student loans, but I was fortunate enough to have half of my tuition paid with scholarships. When I finished school with two BFA’s, I really only ended up paying for one degree. I maintained this by keeping my studies up, by always doing (and being) extra, by comprehending the assignment and beyond the assignment.
My grandfather had a massive stroke that permanently disabled him. Unfortunately, there was not much he could do on his own. As the years progressed, those tasks became less and less. He passed away this February. My grandmother took care of him for nearly twenty years. My mother, sis, and I would help out as much as we could. We filtered in and out of all living together. We ran errands, had late-night talks, helped take him to the ever-endless doctor visits. It was never easy to be a witness to this at a young age. These are the type of events that change you. It shaped me to be forever grateful for the blessings that I have received; it could take a moment to have stripped from you.
Before SCAD, I was not professionally trained as an artist. I really thought I knew how to write (I did not). Only through the vigorous courses and cut to dry honest opinions, I started to truly improve. I didn’t just know how to improve, I was also given the proper toolset to continue to learn after college. It is known that putting 10,000 hours into anything will make you a professional in any said profession. My 10,000 hours didn’t really start until after I graduated. I witness my art advancing as I keep putting in the hours. I regret none of it. I’d do it all over again.
When I graduated from college, I had job opportunities in New York waiting for me. I just wasn’t quite able to make it up there. For a while, I was devastated. Maybe I wasn’t as good as my college peers, because they were successful and I was simply…serving. It was always a tough blow when guests would look at me after they heard I graduated from a prestigious art school and say: “Why are you working here?” As I looked locally for creative paths, they were not paying enough to make it worth it or they didn’t align in the same goals that I did. We must understand that we don’t require to be successful by a certain age. We are all human. No one will ever have the same path; we all get to a destination differently. We have to stop putting these time limits on things that should never have had it to begin with.
The biggest struggle was not realizing my worth. As I kept working, I kept researching and digging deep. What did I really want? What am I capable of? As I started answering these questions, I began setting up career plans, six-month plans, two-year plans, ten-year plans. Of course, these will always evolve. Regardless, there is a goal that I am working towards. I only realized later that if I would’ve launched right into my job field, then perhaps I wouldn’t have taken out time to truly figure out what I wanted with my dreams and life goals. I may be serving at this moment, but I can at least come home and continue to build momentum. That is something no one can take away. In the end, dream endeavors are lifelong pursuits. A successful business doesn’t pop up in twenty-four hours. Even if I am not there yet, I will be…soon.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a digital illustrator and I write long prose stories. My work is most often created by a painterly approach, well-crafted line, and strong story. I have turned to primarily novels and webcomics/graphic novels. It seems that these are the strongest use of my entire skillset as a storyteller. Storytelling is one of the many ways that we connect with one another. Art allows me to share the narratives that I can’t keep to myself. I’m learning the importance of being able to create concepts that resonate. Whether I’m fabricating through visuals or writing, I want to create room for symbolism and interpretation. I’m heavily inspired by myths and research. Art can be a narrator, all you have to do is come near and listen. I enjoy creative visual narratives that fit within the publishing, product, and advertising world. I am most proud of my art finally being on a level that matches the concepts I’ve been wanting to do for so long. I have started working with fashion for graphic tees, local band merchandise. I’d like to work with local breweries, wine vineyards, and distilleries. I am also working on a few portraits of who I consider musical legends. At the moment, I am in the midst of creating a webcomic called BloodDrop. I plan to launch it on Webtoons early next year. The concept is of a vampire rockband in NYC, so there will be romance, a slice of life, fantasy, and of course, glamorous rock ‘n roll. I also have started working on a book series. That one is still under wraps.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Creating brings me joy. Knowledge brings me joy. People bring me joy. I bring each of these elements into each day. Even as I waitress, I find joy from it in people’s conversations. I am always researching new things (most recently—the history of pirates). I practice languages. I make time to draw and write. When I was at my low points, I didn’t create. That went on for a few months, and I’d never been so unhappy. It was then that I knew I had to create, it will always be part of who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kennartshelby.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennartshelby_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kennartshelby-102894391469803
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KennArtShelby
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1cNaghTP4eaKr3VJAwqkbQ/featured
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kennartshelby
Image Credits
2021 Portrait was taken by my sister.
2 are my art pieces.
