Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Thompson.
Hi Shannon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! My name is Shannon and I am from New Orleans, LA. I am a wife to my loving and supportive husband Drew, and a mom to two girls: Sophia and Skye. I started in the performing arts when I was 4 years old. My parents enrolled me in dancing school. I’m naturally creative and artistic. I could sing, dance, and draw/paint from a young age. Painting and drawing took more of a back seat while dance and acting became more prominent into my young adult years. It wasn’t until I became pregnant with my daughter Sophia in 2017 that painting became more of my creative focus. It’s really been an evolution of the arts which coincides with my own evolution. The irony being I become more of myself, that child I was…the freedom, the curiosity, the adventure as I age chronically.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve experienced tragedy at a young age. My dad suffered a traumatic brain injury when I was 11 which drastically changed the family dynamic. Although my parents managed to stay together throughout this, it was not without a lot of dysfunction. The loving family I knew as a child became one of a narcissistic nature. We don’t realize the profound effect of such trauma when we are a child, however, I began to experience the symptoms of such stress as a young adult & I found ways to cope in my 20’s that were not the healthiest thinking that it was just normal. I began to become more acquainted with the world & found myself surrounded by many narcissistic experiences & individuals. I began to wonder if people really cared or if they were just in this hamster wheel called life which was more like a business than what I thought life was meant to be or what I experienced at a very young age, although challenging to remember at times. I studied and researched a great deal of neuropsychology along the way although that was not what I majored in at college. It wasn’t until my late 20’s that I began to question if I was truly fulfilled and happy. I started to ask myself if I knew what love was. It was then I began the work of peeling back layers of conditioning that I learned to get back to who I truly was.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a painter that works with acrylics and oil. What sets me apart is not necessarily the titles, trophies, awards, or degrees I have earned, rather my personal life experience. My emotions are my work & they speak through my paintings. It comes from a very personal space which can be felt through my work. I want people who look at my paintings to ask why? Why did she paint that? Why does that person look that way or what happened to make her paint this. There is a purpose to this and it’s for people to relearn how to connect with themselves; That true, pure, loving part of who they are. People speak with me and they say wow, you’re deep. To me, it’s not being deep. It’s in touch with who I am. We sometimes tend to disconnect with ourselves along the way because of what the world can condition us to focus on or think, or perhaps due to traumatic events which can then lead us to a more surface or shallow existence. This can create the illusion of freedom. That isn’t freedom or peace. It’s an unrest. It’s imprisonment. I’m not here to set thirst traps or to be famous. I’m here to help set people free from that mindset and way of thinking. I also want my daughters to see and know that you don’t have to take your clothes off to be heard in society. You can use your heart and mind for good and it will be recognized in one way or another. We don’t have to compromise who we are or our own personal values and integrity.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I’ve always loved people and animals. I’ve had a genuine interest and care for them. I have an altruistic and empathetic nature. My parents would tell me that I would give someone the shirt off of my back. I have always been a kind kid who likes to make people laugh and smile. I have a vibrant and positive personality and have always been interested in the arts.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @shannonmarieart
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/shannonrockweilerart
Image Credits
Kasey Ward Photography
