Today we’d like to introduce you to Shatresse Simmons.
Hi Shatresse, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Creating art was a perfect distraction from all the troubles I was facing in my life; it was better than keeping a journal. I started off with character designs that turned into making original characters in my sketchbooks. Those characters had different aspects of personalities I had, desired to have, and the flaws many of us could have. Before I knew it, art became my biggest passion.
I pursued getting better at my craft. I admired realism, but it wasn’t want my thing. I liked anime and cartoon styles but that didn’t entirely work for me either. I took about 10 years to find what I’m-for the most part, satisfied with. I’m always looking for ways to improve. All while I explored my style, I was posting online and streamed almost everyday, teaching others or just hanging out. I loved that I inspired others as much as they inspired me.
I grew up in the Midwest and as nice as it was, it didn’t feel like home to me. I moved around a lot, trying to find myself safe zone. Outside of art, I didn’t know who I was or where I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to live on the east coast, so i took the leap without a plan and landed up in Virginia. I fell in love with the area and there was so much to do, I almost felt overwhelmed.
The more comfortable I got here, the more I started exploring other interests I have. I picked up on embroidery and the memory hit me like a freight train; in elementary school, there was an after school club where a teacher taught embroidery and I was enamored with it. Before I could dive further into it, my family up and moved to another city and I forgot all about it. So lately, I find myself trying new mediums I’m playing around with water-based crayons, embroidery, and different styles of painting. My goal is to step outside of my comfort zone and make art I want to see, that also speaks to others.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
At some point, I lost motivation to keep going. It wasn’t burn out nor was it artist block. There was just a lot of stress outside of art that was getting in the way. It made me question my worth and my talents. I stopped writing, creating new characters, and being the fun artist people loved hanging out with in streams. What used to be so easy for me, became impossible.
I was miserable where I was and knowing I was losing myself, I needed to get out of there before it was too late. I know I couldn’t run from my problems but when I got here, the fog cleared up and I was able to get the help I needed. Slowly, I’ve been getting my creativity back and I’m pacing myself to not overdo it, but I’m excited to come back to see and interact with everyone better than i was before.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As I mentioned before, I love to draw original characters and write some stories about them. I’m known as a sketchbook artist and as someone who could finish a sketchbook in a livestream in 24 hours, haha. I could come up with a character and tell a generalized summary of what story I’d have in mind for them, the more I draw them. I prefer to work with acrylic paint and watercolors.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can reach out to me on my website! It’s way easier for me to see messages there than in my social media messages. I love being able to collab with others, no matter the skill level. Being able to connect with people is why I post and create art online. I also prefer to post my content on my website as well; it’s easier to sort everything there.
Pricing:
- ACEOs range from $10-$20
- Stickers are $6
- Embroidered art has a tiered price list
- art commission ranges based on size and detail
Contact Info:
