96: Shantell Martin – How To Find Your Unique Path As An Artist

"Because I didn’t fit in and no one pressured me to fit in, I could be different and I could do art." - Shantell Martin Hey guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO, the podcast where we explore the body, mind, and soul of the creative entrepreneur. It’s my goal to help you take your creativity, business, and life to the next level. I’m so glad you’re joining me on this journey! I have been a fan of today’s guest ever since I met her at the Summit Series last year, and I’ve really wanted to have her on the podcast. I’m so glad she was able to join me today. Shantell Martin is a visual artist who gets commissions from all over the world. You’ve probably seen her work on murals, installations, and even cars. She draws on everything. And her work is distinctive. She is fascinated by simple lines and the different shapes, images, and characters these lines can create in the spontaneity of the moment. Shantell loves doing live performances of her art, where she creates her pieces in front of an audience. I admire Shantell for the beautiful art that she produces. I also admire her for her message — which we talk about in detail in the interview. In short, Shantell’s work comes back to two things — one question and one idea: “Who are you?” and “You are you.” “I just kind of had this barrier where I just thought, ‘Well, there [are] so many people out there in the world that draw and do it really well or create or paint that do it really well. What gives me the right to think that I can do that?’ And it took a really long time for me to realize that, ‘Oh wait, if I do that thing that I really naturally liked to do, and I’m going to do it ... it’s going to be mine.’ And it doesn’t matter if other people do it and they do it to a really high standard. What they can’t do is they can’t do me.” - Shantell Martin I love that idea. No other artist can do you. Let’s dive into my interview with Shantell to discover more about her personal journey to become a working artist and how you can find your own unique path. Who Is Shantell Martin? Shantell Martin is a visual artist born and raised in Thamesmead, England. Growing up, Shantell was insatiably curious, but she quickly discovered Thamesmead — made uncomfortable by its racism and homophobia — was not the ideal place for Shantell and her career to flourish. After finishing school at Central Saint Martins, Shantell embarked on an adventure — she moved to Tokyo, Japan. It was there, in Tokyo, that she discovered her passion for creating art live. “... I accidentally started to create a career as a VJ — visual jockey. And what that means is I was doing live … digital drawings to DJs, dancers, [and] musicians. … I discovered that when you put yourself in a position where there’s an audience watching you, you have this pressure to do something, and there’s no time for you to think, plan, or hesitate because … the audience isn’t going to wait around for you. And what I realized that that does is it puts you in a position where you’re super vulnerable … because in that position you don’t have time to be anybody else.” - Shantell Martin Eventually, Shantell moved to New York, where, unfortunately, digital art as she had done it in Japan doesn’t really exist. So, she found new avenues down which to pursue her art. She began creating murals and collaborating with museums, institutions, and even scientists and coders to create new work and continue reimagining the way we use lines in art. You can check out some of Shantell’s work on her website, and you should — it’s truly innovative and inspiring. And all the while, Shantell has remained true to her message. Today, she advocates the phrase, “You be you.” She has a passion for creating art that causes her audience to smile and grow in their identity. I know this interview will inspire you, so let’s dive in. Who Are You? You Are You As creative people, we’re all on a very unique and deeply personal journey.