Shannon Heath is a predominantly self-taught Australian contemporary artist residing in Northern NSW, Bundjalung Country.
Creativity was weaved into Heath’s world from a very young age. Initially, self-expression manifested in the form of dancing and drawing. Later in life, her high school art teacher had a profound impact on her artistic development and practice.
I have always been creative in some form or another. Whether it was drawing, painting my design career or making clothes. I remember in primary school having to recreate Van Gogh’s Starry Night for a school art project and that was really my first introduction to the world of art and art history.
It wasn’t until high school where the foundations were laid for my career as a designer and artist. My high school art teacher had a profound impact on my artistic development and technique. I went on to study a BA in Design and have worked in the fashion industry for over 15 years. It wasn’t until I lived in the USA when I began to really laser focus on my painting practice. I exhibited a number of times in the US and am very fortunate to be represented by a few galleries in Australia and now with Fenton & Fenton.
Have you got a studio? Tell us a bit about where you create.
My studio is in my garage. I decided to paint the floors white so that it felt a little brighter in there. It is quite convenient having a studio space in my home and also a space where I can close the door once I’m done. While I’m very grateful to have a dedicated space to be able to create work in, I do dream of having a detached studio on a sprawling property one day.
Can you tell us what’s involved in your creative process when developing new work?
I often approach a new body of work with one little spark of inspiration that grows and becomes something bigger. Often it could be a thought or a concept or even just a colour I have in mind. For this body of work I was originally influenced by gradients of colours that I saw during fashion week. Colour is a huge part of my process, I knew I wanted to create work that felt warm and had more depth than previous bodies of work so I began incorporating a lot of neutral colours and deep reds/browns in conjunction with the fluorescent shades I often include in my work.
If I have a strong idea on composition, I usually start with a quick sketch directly onto the canvas. Most of the time I just want to start getting a lot of colour onto the canvas. Sometimes where the different colours land can inform the composition, so I generally begin working into that with layering thin veils of colour.
I usually work on 2-4 pieces at once and once I’ve completed a few works I have a really clear vision of where I want the remainder of the works to go. When I am working on a solo show I like to create the work with the layout of the room in mind. I generally have a very clear idea of which works should hang with one another.
How do you know when a painting is complete? Is there a specific goal in mind, or a particular feeling you get?
I always have a very resolute feeling when a work is complete. It’s usually when something feels completely balanced in colour and composition but also how that painting might sit next to other works too.It’s often accompanied by a state of feeling at peace.
Silence or sound while painting?
I think I have painted in silence once! Definitely music! I can’t do podcasts when I’m painting – I don’t take a second of it in, I am so laser focused on what I am doing. Music lightens the mood. Depending on which part I am at in the process depends on which type of music I listen to.
Have the cities you’ve lived in influenced your practice?
Certainly! I remember visiting Palm Springs and Joshua Tree and the hazy pale peachy pinks influenced an entire body of work. I am influenced by colours in nature mostly I would say.
Can you tell us about the works you painted for El Rancho?
My work examines meditation and detachment amidst a constant bombardment of information and noise. Exploring how we can better adapt to change, and see what’s possible through the seemingly simple act of retreating into calm. The fluid, orb-like forms and expressive transparencies become a metaphor for dropping in and out of the state of consciousness. This is a body of work inviting the viewer to let go.
