Shannon Webb
I am inspired by the simplest things in my daily journeys, like avocado toast. I appreciate these mundane moments.
EDUCATION
I remember staying up until midnight in the fourth grade working on a mission sculpture. I loved designing buildings. it was one of the first projects the lit me up in school. Later, in high school, I found art as a way to express my feelings. I continued to study art in college. I had wonderful art instructors at Cabrillo College, College of San Mateo, and Notre Dame de Namur, with whom I my art degree.
In addition to visual art education, I also studied music and theater. I was an active thespian in high school, and jazz singer in college. I had been performing until my early 20's. I studied piano, violin, clarinet, but voice was may preferred instrument, while my brother gravitated to guitar.
I began my studies in Art at Cabrillo College from 1993-1997, then at College of San Mateo 1997-1998, A local flood ended my schooling, and refocused my life to mu local community, and our family business.
My first child reawakened my desire to finish my degree. I studies for a Business degree online, at University of Phoenix from 2003-2006. My second child lead me to take a break again.
My fond memories of Cabrillo, lead me to return there in 2009. I rediscovered art, and my love of it. I eventually transferred to a 4 year in 2012, and Graduated with an Art degree and Business Administration minor from Notre Dame de Namur, in 2014.
I remember staying up until midnight in the fourth grade working on a mission sculpture. I loved designing buildings. it was one of the first projects the lit me up in school. Later, in high school, I found art as a way to express my feelings. I continued to study art in college. I had wonderful art instructors at Cabrillo College, College of San Mateo, and Notre Dame de Namur, with whom I my art degree.
In addition to visual art education, I also studied music and theater. I was an active thespian in high school, and jazz singer in college. I had been performing until my early 20's. I studied piano, violin, clarinet, but voice was may preferred instrument, while my brother gravitated to guitar.
I began my studies in Art at Cabrillo College from 1993-1997, then at College of San Mateo 1997-1998, A local flood ended my schooling, and refocused my life to mu local community, and our family business.
My first child reawakened my desire to finish my degree. I studies for a Business degree online, at University of Phoenix from 2003-2006. My second child lead me to take a break again.
My fond memories of Cabrillo, lead me to return there in 2009. I rediscovered art, and my love of it. I eventually transferred to a 4 year in 2012, and Graduated with an Art degree and Business Administration minor from Notre Dame de Namur, in 2014.
MY INFLUENCES
My dad was crafty. He told me stories of my grandmother, who was an artist. She did mosaics, paintings, and sculpture. I grew up within a community of artists. My neighbor was a sculptor and encouraged me. He would always ask what I was up to, either in singing, or in art. He encouraged me to keep practicing. I've bee drawing since I can remember, making jewelry, and paintings. I like to hike to the waterfall in my neighborhood and draw, or write.
I Love Elizabeth Murray's sculptural canvases. She inspired me to learn about 3D painting, and sculpture. I believe going to museums and recognizing my response to other art helps me grow. I thank Cabrillo College for that, with their gallery viewing requirement - if you were enrolled in an art class. -) I've been influenced by a number of artists, local, and in museums, or in my classes. However she really opened my imagination to dig into multimedia, texture, and form. She made me feel like anything was possible if I wanted it.
I continue to learn in workshops, participate in local shows, collaborate, volunteer, and challenge myself. I find it relaxing, engaging, and cathartic. It is a life long journey. I taught Art in Action for 13 years as a volunteer in the local school district before Covid-19, and directed the program for a few years through 2020.
I began training myself to teach via videos and zoom, and distance interactions. I am still figuring that one out. Videography is a special skill with which I need more practice. There is much we can share across great distance through the web, and social media. Personally, I prefer to take art classes physically, and still project that to what my potential students would like. However I am still interested in learning more in this.
Most recently I have had a massive stroke on new years eve of 2023. So now 2024 has been relearning how to talk, walk, and coordinate my hand, feel, and regain confidence in daily tasks. My studies in art, have helped me. My love of expression, languages, and many ways to look at a subject have all helped drive me to practice, practice, practice.
PROCESS & EXPERIENCE
I took just about every art class I could in college, visual and performing, in any media or genre available at the time. I got to play with everything: sculpture, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, publishing, singing, acting, video, radio, textiles, and more.
I found life drawing the most inspiring, drawing from photos is great but real life I am forced to make choices as people move, life is in motion. I learned notice more in each moment. I fell in love trying to capture movement, and gesture. It’s like Peter Pan chasing his shadow.
I have been showing since 1993 with South Coast Artists Alliance. (www.scaa-artists.org).
I helped organize the first On-Line show for South Coast Artist Alliance (2020). It inspired me to update this site more often. We had an open air location in 2021, and got back to our original physical site in 2022.
I have been a collaborator on mural projects. I've written art grants for a number of school mural projects over the years, and taught art to students in K-12. I started teaching Art to elementary students in a volunteer program. Our local school group of parents paid for an art curriculum called Art in Action. I taught that curriculum in k -5 for Thirteen years. Toward the end I was directing the program, including facilitating grant writing for the mural program and the art program there. Covid ended face to face teaching for some time. I kept the program running enough to kick back up and transition to new facilitators when school eventually reopened two years later.
That experience toward the end, taught me the value of online platform education. Though it did not pan our for my situation, I have since been interested in how to learn more about delivering education in that environment.
Again, I am always learning!
It feels so long ago now, I worked on the Corazones project with Arte Motu from 2010 - 2022, along with the many other projects Arte Motu has presented. We lost a number of the hearts to the CZU wildfires. Thanks to a local grant from Puente de la Costa Sur we were able to rebuild much of our infrastructure for making hears, and create more.
More recently I have written art grants for infrastructure to support art groups continued operations. For example: storage facilities, to get supplies for show during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and to help our local radio station broadcast. The fire happened during the Pandemic shut downs. We had Art material loss in the fire, and loss of material to have an art festival. So I received grant funds for our groups, and it allowed rebuilding. YAY! Lots of work and follow through, but I am glad I could offer that skill.
During COVID I worked on an online sketchbook project with the Brooklyn Art library. That kept me going during isolation. You can check out my 7 Heroes in 7 days project! and the sketchbook projects in "My Work".
I am a multi media artist. Generally that means I cannot decide what to work with ;-). In 2022 I did a series of pieces or meditations to flow with my need to work in multiple media, by doing the same image in many different media. Learn more in "My Work"
in December of 2023 my dream came true. September prior some friends asked if we wanted to get together and open a gallery. A new place came up for rent. We put our heads together and formed a Cooperative. In December we had our opening night. Shortly after I had a massive stroke. In many ways I am so grateful I had this gallery community during these difficult times. As I heal it hasn't been easy, but I have had support, and inspiration.
As of 2024 Madrone Arts Gallery is now showing our third exhibit! We are new, and working it out, but it is a great experience. Having a place the public can see our work all year long feels good. Young and old, rich or poor, anyone can go to a gallery and look at the art, adn be inspired! I am pushed to make more, and I need that.
I took just about every art class I could in college, visual and performing, in any media or genre available at the time. I got to play with everything: sculpture, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, publishing, singing, acting, video, radio, textiles, and more.
I found life drawing the most inspiring, drawing from photos is great but real life I am forced to make choices as people move, life is in motion. I learned notice more in each moment. I fell in love trying to capture movement, and gesture. It’s like Peter Pan chasing his shadow.
I have been showing since 1993 with South Coast Artists Alliance. (www.scaa-artists.org).
I helped organize the first On-Line show for South Coast Artist Alliance (2020). It inspired me to update this site more often. We had an open air location in 2021, and got back to our original physical site in 2022.
I have been a collaborator on mural projects. I've written art grants for a number of school mural projects over the years, and taught art to students in K-12. I started teaching Art to elementary students in a volunteer program. Our local school group of parents paid for an art curriculum called Art in Action. I taught that curriculum in k -5 for Thirteen years. Toward the end I was directing the program, including facilitating grant writing for the mural program and the art program there. Covid ended face to face teaching for some time. I kept the program running enough to kick back up and transition to new facilitators when school eventually reopened two years later.
That experience toward the end, taught me the value of online platform education. Though it did not pan our for my situation, I have since been interested in how to learn more about delivering education in that environment.
Again, I am always learning!
It feels so long ago now, I worked on the Corazones project with Arte Motu from 2010 - 2022, along with the many other projects Arte Motu has presented. We lost a number of the hearts to the CZU wildfires. Thanks to a local grant from Puente de la Costa Sur we were able to rebuild much of our infrastructure for making hears, and create more.
More recently I have written art grants for infrastructure to support art groups continued operations. For example: storage facilities, to get supplies for show during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and to help our local radio station broadcast. The fire happened during the Pandemic shut downs. We had Art material loss in the fire, and loss of material to have an art festival. So I received grant funds for our groups, and it allowed rebuilding. YAY! Lots of work and follow through, but I am glad I could offer that skill.
During COVID I worked on an online sketchbook project with the Brooklyn Art library. That kept me going during isolation. You can check out my 7 Heroes in 7 days project! and the sketchbook projects in "My Work".
I am a multi media artist. Generally that means I cannot decide what to work with ;-). In 2022 I did a series of pieces or meditations to flow with my need to work in multiple media, by doing the same image in many different media. Learn more in "My Work"
in December of 2023 my dream came true. September prior some friends asked if we wanted to get together and open a gallery. A new place came up for rent. We put our heads together and formed a Cooperative. In December we had our opening night. Shortly after I had a massive stroke. In many ways I am so grateful I had this gallery community during these difficult times. As I heal it hasn't been easy, but I have had support, and inspiration.
As of 2024 Madrone Arts Gallery is now showing our third exhibit! We are new, and working it out, but it is a great experience. Having a place the public can see our work all year long feels good. Young and old, rich or poor, anyone can go to a gallery and look at the art, adn be inspired! I am pushed to make more, and I need that.