[Shonah Dean Landes]
Hello everyone! My name is Shonah, and I'd like to think of myself as an artist. Art is a relative term, but I still like to try to capture the essence of it in all that I do.
I started putting my name in parenthesis on all my pieces when I was in high school. In a way it incorporates my appreciation for English and grammar, plus it's just a different signature than anyone else. In writing, parenthesis are used to signify when something can be overlooked because it neither adds nor subtracts any vital information from the overall meaning of the piece. And that's why I put my name in parenthesis. Art isn't about being recognized or known. I love to paint and I want to be able to share that passion. But I, as the artist, neither add nor subtract from the overall meaning of the piece. I can be overlooked. And what remains is the creation.
Switching gears to some fun facts about me... I started painting when I was in the 3rd grade, and I've loved it ever since. I minored in Fine Arts at Huntington University in Huntington, Indiana, mostly because I wanted to take art classes but didn't want art to be my main degree because how the heck do you get a job with that? I actually majored in English (again though...how the heck do you get a job with that?), which was cool because I'm an avid reader and I dabble in writing prose, poetry and whatever else I feel like. However, I've basically done nothing else with my degree as I've worked as a bench jeweler for the past 7 years, which is by far one of the absolute coolest jobs you could ever imagine. I get to fix broken things, play with fire and gold and diamonds, use tiny tools, and make ugly things look beautiful again all day. Plus I get to interact with customers and make people happy by showing them gorgeous, sparkly jewelry. Essentially it's a job made for me. Aside from already having a creative, hands-on career, I still get into painting and sewing when I can, and in the past few years I've really taken a liking to up-cycling furniture and some minor house refurbishing. I also am a big fan of creative, healthy cooking and baking and have begun practicing the art of cake decorating in my free time. (Despite my desire to love my body well and feed it good, whole food, ya girl cannot deny her audacious and sometimes obsessive love for cake and treats.)
I was born and raised in Indiana but at the ripe age of 25, I took a little adventure and lived in Arizona for about three years. It was wonderful and I miss it and I'll always consider going back, but as for now, home is where I need to be. After all, Midwest is best, or so they say.
Anyway, I could write all day about myself because if I'm being 100% honest (as I typically try to be), I think I'm rather interesting and funny, though I have yet to have anyone else tell me so. I will spare you from myself. Thanks for stopping by! Contact me with any questions or orders.
