Name: Shannon Hefferon
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Year: (Super) Senior
Major: Communication Studies
Art is something that anyone can appreciate and Shannon was able to develop her appreciation into a passion for many to enjoy. She makes a beautiful and breathtaking variety of paintings, from landscape to portrait. Her brush stroke game is off the charts! Read on to find out more about how to view some of Shannon’s paintings, as well as how to acquire them.
HC: What sparked your interest in painting?
I always took art classes in high school and did pretty well on painting assignments, but I didn’t start painting for fun until college. I got the flu my freshman year over Spring Break and painted a few things to pass the time. I was surprised by how relaxing and therapeutic it was. It turned out to be a talent I never knew I had.
HC: What’s your favorite piece of art?
Would I be a bad artist if I said I didn’t have one? Any painting I’ve seen that I loved, I tried to recreate. If I had to choose, I’d say Yacht Club by Leonid Afremov. The colors and brush strokes are breathtaking. Plus, it looks like something you would see here in Wilmington.
HC: What’s been your favorite art endeavor so far?
My best artwork I’ve ever done happens to be the art I’ve painted for my sister. Earlier in the year, she asked me to paint a giant painting for her to hang in her new home. I asked her to pick a painting she loved and I would make my own version of it. She picked a painting of sailboats on the water during sunset (Refer to the painting in the previous question). It was a challenge for sure, but I did better than I thought I could and it turned out to be my best piece yet.
HC: Do you have any advice for other aspiring artists?
There were times that I would get extremely inspired to paint something in particular and as I began to create the picture, I felt that it was not turning out at all as I imagined and looked horrible. I would throw out the canvas and become extremely discouraged and lose the urge to paint for weeks or months at a time. As I’ve gotten more practice, I’ve realized that it’s all part of the process. Sometimes a painting will look worse before it looks better. Don’t give up halfway and stop because your creation isn’t matching up to the vision you had in your head. Sometimes the result is much better than your vision.
HC: Any other hobbies?
I enjoy any form of working out. I try to do something active every day. Anywhere from working out at the Student Recreation Center to running to yoga. Also, does Pinterest count as a hobby?
HC: If others wanted to view your work, how could they go about doing that?
Follow my art Instagram! @shannonhefferonart. From time to time I will post work to be sold on my Etsy site. As of right now, nothing is for sale on the site because I am too busy with custom requests, but I have a lot of blank canvas I plan to fill soon!