Meet Shannon McCurdy | Freelance Illustrator

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

Hi Shannon, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Honestly, I wish I took more risks in my early twenties. Constructive risks, I mean. I avoided a lot of creative opportunities when I was younger because I was afraid I couldn’t handle them. I always want to feel ‘ready’ before I try something new, and at the time I let that instinct control my choices.

I’ve come to realize the idea of ‘readiness’ is a shield I wanted to hold up between myself and failure. There is no such thing. The only way to avoid risking failure is to stay static; Ultimately, I felt stasis was more frightening than failure. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an illustrator working out of West Michigan, creating the kind of art I love to see in the world. I embrace sentimentality and kitsch with certain pieces, while exploring the spooky, off-putting, and eerie with others. I work in gouache, watercolor, and ink for most of my illustrations. I love to experiment with mediums and styles, but I believe you can see my touch in everything I make. I just opened my business last year, so I’ve been working hard to build my brand since then. I’ve been creating my brand identity piece by piece. I approach it like a nest I’m building, where each twig is an idea or illustration that adds cohesion to the whole.
Right now, my biggest challenge is in continuing to refine my brand without compromising my various artistic interests. I’d also like to emphasize the importance of mental health. I struggled to graduate from college for a long time, until I found the right treatment for my anxiety and depression. I know it can be hard to try treatment when society can make you feel so bad for needing the help. I really want to communicate this: No one deserves to suffer, and there’s no reason to push yourself through pain just to prove you can. You always pay later.

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.
Grand Rapids isn’t the biggest city, but there’s plenty to enjoy. Does that make me sound like a tour guide? I can’t help it. There are a ton of coffee places to try: Rise, Schuil Coffee Company, Rowsters, Stovetop Coffee Roasters, Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. That’s just a few of them. Matchbox Diner & Drinks (in Eastown) has great cocktails and an incredibly good poutine with pulled pork. I like to wander around Redux Books and Argos Books afterwards, since they’re next door. The Wealthy Theatre is also in Eastown, which shows a variety of films as well as hosting performances. More importantly, Good Judy’s Market & Juice Bar is next door. It’s a very cute and inclusive smoothie shop with very good smoothies.
Depending on the season, you can visit the Fulton Street Farmers Market. Gemini Handmade is a great place to find work by local artists, and Woosah has outdoorsy gifts for your outdoorsy gift-needers.
I would also recommend a trip to Meijer Gardens specifically to see the pitcher plants in their Carnivorous Plants House. Blandford Nature center is a nature preserve with a Wildlife Education Center and beautiful walking trails.
There’s so much, I really can’t even cover it all.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents are amazing. They taught me how to be curious and open-minded, and the belief I have in myself comes from the love they gave me. I’m lucky to have parents who supported my interest in illustration, and who were able to pay for my education. I’m not going to pretend I did it all myself, because that would be disingenuous. I’ve benefitted from a lot of privilege, and I do not take it for granted. And while my parents helped me grow, my close friends and my partner remind me to invest in myself and stay on course. I’m trying to keep this succinct, because I could really go on forever about my loved ones.

Website: https://shannonmccurdy.com/welcome

Instagram: @smccurdyart

Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/smccurdyart @smccurdyart on tiktok smccurdyart@gmail.com for commission inquiries