It's my pleasure to introduce Shayla, another self-nominated FGOTW.
Who are you? Shayla, 27
Where? Lived all over Orange County, California. My mom and I moved around a lot, and I was never in the same apartment, or same school for very long. Spent one year on a commune in the desert
when I was 11.
What do you do? I am a painter! I make 'Light Reactive Paintings.' I work in acrylic. I make my
paintings experiential and meditative for the viewer. I focus on how
light changes the color and effect of each piece. The colors of each
painting change and morph throughout the day (so how it appears in the
morning is somewhat different than in the evening.) In addition to how
each painting appears in normal lighting, all my art is uv reactive and
glows in the dark. I am currently a working artist and have spent three years as the Creative Director for an arts-based,
event-planning organization, with emphasis on culture, meditation,
discussion, and spirituality. My
art is currently hanging in local businesses and I am preparing for my
first solo gallery show in Laguna Beach, California in July 2007.
http://www.shaylamaddox.com
http://www.shayoa.blogspot.com
Sometimes I do acting and modeling, because it's just so much fun. :o) I have performed in many plays and independent films.
What inspires you? I believe in Thin
Spaces, where the spiritual world and natural world
intersect. Sunsets, sunrises, the moon, the stars and planets, the
universe, molecules, atoms, cycles of time, and everything in between
speak to me of something greater, something higher, something more
connected than science, religion, or philosophy can comprehend. I love
to color. Painting makes me feel like I'm 5 years old. My mom was an
painter and stained glass artisan. She is constantly busy and involved
with many different activities.
Why are you fly? I often work 12
hours per day without stopping, because I feel a responsibility to take
advantage of my abilities and work for my dreams with every ounce of
effort that I have. My life is a gift and an opportunity to work for
what I love, and to contribute something valuable to the world. I will
not be of use to anyone in an office building, and my work should be a
path that invigorates me and makes me excited to wake up in the
morning. I wake up and paint in my underwear, forget to eat, and have
to remind myself to go to sleep.
Advice: WORK
HARD! I am truly a lazy person. Laziness does not get you any closer to
your goals. I have a mantra that basically states, if I am thinking
about my career more than I am DOING my career, something is wrong.
Always be moving forward. Remain humble, grateful, and teachable.
Constantly improve yourself for the rest of your life. Marketing is
KEY, no matter what pursuit you have. Make sure people know about you,
and make sure they know what you do. You have to own your life, and be
about *that thing* that you'll want to be remembered for. You only have
one life, so make sure that when you look back on it when you're 70,
you are doing what you want to remember. Think backwards. If you want
to accomplish something in 5 years, figure out what you're doing right
now to move closer to that goal. Give
to charities, to remind yourself that even when you're at the end of
your rope, you still have something to offer and help to give. Form
a community of people who believe in you and support your dreams. Ditch
the people who talk you out of it, or who are otherwise destructive to
your goals.
