Sherry Shahan lives in a laid-back beach town in California where she grows potatoes in the cardboard box that delivered a stereo. Her art has been featured in The Rattle, Josephine Quarterly, Yolk, Lunch Ticket, Invisible City, Cleaver and elsewhere. She earned an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and taught a creative writing course for UCLA Extension for 10 years.
How do you define yourself as an artist?
What is/are your inspiration/s for your creative works?
Do you have a signature style? If yes, why? If no, why not?
I’m a ’naive’ artist with no formal training in photography. My style has always been simple and unaffected. I watch the world from behind, from a squat hotel room in Paris or a back alley in Havana; or, through the lens of a 35 mm camera or an iPhone.
I’m inspired by elements that cause me to pause and that draw me in. Often times it’s the juxtaposition of colors, textures, or composition. Other times it’s an abstract emotion that I can’t put into words.
My style of art is constantly evolving, though I remain pulled in by images that tell a story. A rusty lock on an old steamer trunk can reveal as much as a flower petal floating in a puddle of water.
The Pine Cone Review 