Congratulations to Shannon “Shan” Fannin for earning her place as a Finalist in the Boynes Emerging Artist Award 7th Edition!

Who are you?

Hi. I’m Shannon Fannin (friends call me “Shan”). I’m a 53 year old mom, long distance runner, former Corporate Marketing Director and business owner, and realist vehicle artist. I received a college scholarship to become a special needs art teacher back in 1987, but never used it. Instead, I married my husband and went into the corporate world. I left that in 1996 to raise a family, and homeschool our son for 16 years. When he went off to college, my husband suggested I return to art. Although apprehensive to take up art again in my 40’s, I had supportive art professors that encouraged me to embrace art that made me happy. I still chat with 3 of those professors today. 

What inspired you to utilize painting as a medium?

I started back to art after a 25 year hiatus by taking a few community college art classes mostly focusing on Life Drawing. I was using soft pastels and charcoal mostly and that’s where I learned that I loved smearing mediums on my surfaces. I happened to take a beginning painting class, and we used mostly oils for it. I suffer from migraines, and the oil paint odors made them MUCH worse. I switched to using Liquitex, Golden, and Derivan Matisse acrylic paints after that (with Lucas, Dick Blick and Soho for foundation colors) for my paintings after that. I love that I can work quickly with them. Should I make a mistake, I wait 20 min and paint over.

What drove you to focus on vehicles as a subject in your work?

It is really my husband’s fault. Around the time I was taking a few art classes, my husband purchased a 1961 Ford Thunderbird convertible and we started going to car shows with it on the weekends. At one show, my husband suggested (more like dared) me to paint a car. I didn’t think I could do it, but I humored him. I chose a bright orange GMC truck, photographed it, and painted the front grill on a 16x20” canvas. I found that I loved the balance between realism and the chaos of the reflections. That was in October 2014. By February 2015, I considered myself a professional realist vehicle artist. 

Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind "1961 Honda 50 Motorcycle"?

My husband and I took a trip from Texas to California in 2019 to visit car and air museums. One museum was the Petersen in Los Angeles. While looking through the exhibits, I spotted the Honda 50 and was instantly drawn to it. Not only did I love the quirky design, but the complimenting bright orange body with the blue windscreen spoke to the artist in me. I wanted to give this painting a unique angle, so I photographed it while kneeling down and looking up at it. This was one of those rare paintings that felt like it painted itself. I wish they all did that. *grin*

Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating "1961 Honda 50 Motorcycle"?

For my inspiration, either I or my husband photograph my muse at an event in the US or on our international travels. Back home, I look at images in my large database and see what speaks to me. Once I decide on an image, I crop it to fit how I want the vehicle to be conveyed. I then lay down a foundation color onto cotton or linen canvas. I usually decide on this color by looking at my reference photo. I used Naples Yellow for the Honda. Like many artists, I use the grid system to bring my paintings to canvas. Once it is all sketched out with Derwent Inktense pencils, I start to paint. I don’t do a tonal underpainting, but just pick a color that is dominant and jump around the piece putting that color in where needed. 

I paint most of the abstract areas of my paintings with my palms and fingers as I love the abstract look this technique gives. My backgrounds and many reflective areas are painted this way. I use my brushes for the realistic areas of the vehicle. All of my paintings have many layers of colored Golden glazing. This helps me to give the illusion of a 3d object on a 2d surface. 

Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?

The thing with painting vehicles is that people know what they look like. I have to depict the vehicle accurately so my viewer can identify it and know I’ve done it justice through paint. My biggest challenge has been to paint what I SEE, not what I THINK I see. I work from a printed 8x10” image and a small tablet to zoom in closer. Turning my image sideways or upside-down helps me to focus on shapes instead of assuming I know what is there. I am constantly moving my canvas around to focus on what is in my reference and not get caught up in color. 

Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?

In 2016, I got the opportunity to have my 1951 Chevrolet Pick Up Truck (a 4’x5’ painting) displayed in the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. This was 11 months after I had become a professional artist. While the painting hung in the airport, a classic car auctioneer saw it and loved it. They contacted me about having my first solo show during the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida. My work would hang where they were auctioning off valuable vintage cars. All of my expenses were paid. It was a dream. While there, I was commissioned to paint an award winning 1966 Lamborghini Miura (Lamborghini awarded the owner during the Concours). I think that was the moment where I went from “Can I do this?” to “I think I am on the right path”. Although I had no art degree, I had a need to produce quality paintings that brought joy. That was my first true success in my art career. I’m thankful everyday for that experience. It gave me the courage to improve with each painting, and inspiration to be one of the finest vehicle artists today.

Can you tell something you wish you had known before or when you began your career that would have really helped?

That people will think that some subjects belong to a specific gender. Many people see my works and think a man painted them. I was told several years ago that: “Women artists paint flowers and landscapes. They don’t paint cars.” I think if I could go back and talk to myself when I started this journey, I would tell myself to do what makes ME happy. I believe that when an artist is passionate about their subject, that enthusiasm comes through in the work. 

Another thing I wish I had learned is to not create work because an “authority” told you to do it that way. A year into being a professional artist, my first gallery told me I had to paint vehicles a certain way. I was naive and painted 2 paintings that way. They never sold through the gallery, and I still have one of them today. I won’t be doing that again. I had a gallery representative tell me to cut my prices in half. That didn’t sit right with me, and I declined. The very next day I sold my most expensive painting to date. Best advice I’d give myself: “Go with your gut!”

What projects are you working on currently?

On my easels currently I have a jet, a vintage Japanese car, and 3 American cars. In March, my husband and I are planning a trip to Amelia Island Concours d-Elegance, one of the biggest car events in the United States. We will be taking hundreds of reference photos for me to bring to life on canvas later. I am really looking forward to the work-vacation, meeting car owners, and getting great photos for me to work from. 

What is your dream project or piece you hope to accomplish?

I would love to have my vehicle paintings featured at Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival, or Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Another dream of mine is to have one of my paintings on the cover of a popular car magazine like Motor Trend or an art magazine like American Art Collector. My paintings have been within the pages of both of those, but I dream of being on the cover. 

As a finalist, do you have any advice for artists who want to submit to awards, competitions, residencies, etc.?

Find the ones that call to you. Read the fine print. Know that you will spend quite a bit on entries before you find the ones that are right for you. In my first year as an artist, I spent $4,000 on entries for competitions, residency entries, and media. That is a LOT of money for a new artist. 

Know that you will get kicked down quite a bit. Do not be discouraged by the rejections, as they make the acceptances all the more sweeter. Artists don’t know what jurors are looking for sometimes. If a call sounds like something that will work for your art, submit to it. Even when you do not get in, chalk it up to experience. I actually have a computer file called “Rejection Letters” for all the calls, venues, and galleries I didn’t get into. I look at that file from time to time not to discourage myself, but to push myself harder. To keep trying. To prove that I am on the right path and the right opportunity is just around the corner. The trick is to NOT GIVE UP. Success will happen eventually. One of my favorite sayings is: “Hard work pays off”. I truly believe that.

Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists/photographers, what is your advice?

Be you. Do NOT change what you enjoy making to fit a venue, competition, or gallery. From my experience, when you change your art to specifically please others, there is no passion in the work. I have done this in the past, and always regretted it. Sure, the work was technically acceptable, but there was no LIFE in it. There was no joy in creating the art. My viewers could tell I was going through the motions and just painted because I had to get it done. 

Instead, create YOUR art. Whatever you love doing, create it with your soul. That enthusiasm will come through in your medium of choice. Share a tiny bit of yourself in your art, and your collectors will love your creation.

To view more of Shannon Fannin’s work

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