I want to tell you about a dear lady, my friend, Shannon who has grown by leaps and bounds right before my eyes the past few years. She is living from that place in her heart, that so many want to find the courage to do so also. She is letting art be the balm for her soul that fills her with joy and purpose.

She is also the lucky lady who won the book giveaway of She Sheds – A Treasure Trove of Women’s Creative Spaces.  I always use Random.org when I pick a winner and while I wish everyone could win, I was very tickled that Shannon did. Not only does she live five minutes from me and I could get a picture of her with the book I signed for her (and it’s why it took me a bit to announce the winner), but I really think she was meant to win this copy! Like those that left a comment, Shannon would love a She Shed of her own to keep pursuing her art.

You see, I’ve known Shannon for a little over 25 years now. I first knew her mom when I worked at Kohl’s Department Store which was like, um, eons ago and this is how I met Shannon. Then John and I wanted to buy our first home a couple years after we’d been married. We ended up buying a spec home that Shannon’s husband, Bradd, and her father-in-law built. And over the years our friendship has grown, and ebbed and flowed.

She went on to have two children and as with most friends, being we didn’t have any, or lives drifted apart for awhile as she raised her kids. Shannon’s daughter will be in her third year of art school come this fall and her son will head to college in the fall also.

When her daughter was getting ready to graduate high school Shannon had the upheaval of emotions so many mom’s go through. She wondered, Now what? Who am I as my children to go out into the world on their own? And she was asking herself, what’s my purpose?

And with a little searching and being open to possibility, along with giving herself permission to follow her heart, Shannon began to paint and realized how much she loves it. And might I add here, she is really good at it!!

It’s truly been a joy watching Shannon spread her art wings! And how lovely its been to support her by encouraging her and seeing so many others who stop by her personal page to “like” and comment on her work. Check out these two squirrels she recently painted.

And she keeps putting one foot in front of the other, sometimes her knees knocking and her nerves jumping, but she continues to paint. And this week, she will be taking a few pieces of her work to a shop to sell, which as many of you know, is a big, big step. I’m SO proud of her!!

Shannon would love a “She Shed” of her own someday, but the cool thing is, she hasn’t let that stop her from doing her art as often as she can. She has set up a little corner for herself in the lower level of her home. She has a beautiful view of trees outside the window, and where her sweet, dear, dog Molly is resting in peace with a marked grave.

And I think this quote on the back of this chair she painted below says it best. Because I believe too that when we answer that inner calling that is there nudging us along, can we then begin to walk peacefully on this earth.

Keep painting Shannon — you are creating your own special miracles just by letting that inner light in you shine and move out into the world.

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