Meet Shanna Coulter | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanna Coulter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shanna, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
Deciding to close my business. After three years of dreaming and hustling, I had to weigh the facts, sober up and make the difficult call. Closing the community art studio I had built was a personal, family, public and financial predicament. Because the venture of a brick and mortar community art studio involved mine and so many others’ dreams, I made a lot of decisions based on feelings and hope. Ultimately, that kind of thinking led to situations I couldn’t overcome, and I had to close. Beyond making the decision to close, deciding to continue in another space and direction has been the second most difficult decision. Getting back up brings all the feelings and fears into play again, and it’s hard to see clearly. Maybe the overarching theme here is that turning your talent and passion into a business is a really hard thing to do. It’s very personal.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a small town only child, my imagination was necessarily robust and as an adult, I’ve come to appreciate what a gift that was. Constantly dreaming and building, I eventually took the hint that art was my path for living. After graduating college with a studio art degree, I began making art for a living. I painted murals, did commissions, faux finishing and such. This supplemented our income while raising children, which also required robust creativity and imagination and took most of my energy for a few decades. I went back to school at 40 for a master’s in art education, and taught high school until I started dreaming of creating a community art studio. I left teaching to pursue that in 2022. I opened and ran it for a year and then had to close this past November.
I call myself an artist but I don’t feel like I’ve allowed myself (or been capable) to explore what that means as an adult. I’ve always been extrinsically motivated. I have recently started showing work and giving myself permission to paint what I feel instead of always attempting realism and approval. I’ve begun creating in a style that feels like my handwriting, and I think that’s where I will keep putting effort. The thing I’ve done right as an artist is to keep going. I haven’t fed it enough, taken it seriously enough, practiced enough or protected it enough. The creative brain can be its own worst enemy and I can think myself out of doing a lot of creative things. Life is surprisingly challenging at each successive stage, and this current mid-life, menopausal, empty-nester artist stage is no joke. While I’m creating more than ever with drawing, painting, photography and ceramics in my catalog, I still struggle. I feel like it’s too late, then I begin working and I feel like a fraud, then infantile, then jaded. But I keep at it. Finding my voice is the goal, and valuing it, and not clubbing it to death, and then audaciously using it. Studying my craft and the creative life in general has been extremely helpful. Recognizing my brain, habits, and challenges with others while getting support and being supportive has really been clutch. I started an artist’s book club several years ago, and it has been incredibly fruitful to gain insight from the likes of Julia Cameron, Steven Pressfield, and Pat Allen in a community of creatives. I’m learning to give myself grace and freedom to create without the judgment of perfection. It’s a constant effort to combat the messages of perfection we get from every angle. As an artist, criticism is a natural skill I have to respect much like fire.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Atlanta is my city of reference for all who visit the South, but I don’t often hang out there. I do love going to the airport. The exhibits and people and energy there are always exciting. When I go, I usually head straight back to Canton, but if I can catch a live show at The Fox, Eddie’s Attic or The Eastern, I surely will. The High Museum would definitely be a stop for their excellent permanent collection, exhibits and social events. Jimmy Carter has been on my mind a lot lately so I would take them to the Carter Center and the Atlanta History Center and have a “traditional” meal at South City Kitchen or Mary Mac’s Tea Room. That’s an excellent Atlanta experience. As far as visiting Canton, we would absolutely get coffee at Bizarre Coffee and walk around downtown and see the art at Menagerie on Main, where I sell my work. You can get a great sampling of quality local art in many different styles here, and enjoy a glass of wine from a local vineyard. It’s such a comfortable place to engage with art. We would eat at Downtown Kitchen or Goin’ Coastal, maybe catch a show at the Canton Theatre, and definitely hang out and have a drink at GreenLine, the greatest hole-in-the-wall bar. Though Western art is not my favorite genre, the Booth Museum in Cartersville is so well curated and maintained, I am always educated and inspired when I visit. The Woodstock, Ball Ground, and Acworth downtowns are quaint and charming and make great day trips to see their galleries and shops with local crafts, food and art. Food, music and art are my areas of interest and in each of those I seek and appreciate the local fare. I would be sure take my bestie to Monday night supper at 61 Main in Jasper for a delicious and fresh meal and we would spend time appreciating the rust at Old Car City. If time allowed, a trip to Dawsonville to go to Around Back at Rocky’s Place would be the cherry on top!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am grateful for the teaching, encouragement and support of so many people and entities along the way. My art friends, family and my husband, Muggs, are responsible for loving, encouraging, and supporting me through the best and worst of it! They believe in me even when I don’t, and remind me who I am when it gets dark. Throughout my adult life, I have leaned on my faith and faith community as well for support and guidance through difficult times. Without the belief that ultimately everything will be ok, I don’t know where I would be. The book “The War of Art” inspired me to start a business, but I couldn’t have gotten it off the ground without mentorship through my local office of economic development and SBA. I have received so much love and support throughout my life. I am so grateful for it all.

Website: https://shannacoulter.com

Instagram: @sjcoulter

Linkedin: Shanna Jackson Coulter

Facebook: Shanna Jackson Coulter