Art by Shawn
My work is driven by a simple passion to create, translating a deep visual curiosity into both canvas and clay. Spending 20 years as a professional headshot and branding photographer completely shaped how I see human expression, light, and space. That background fuels my obsession with the human face, which is the main inspiration behind my paintings. Whether I am capturing raw emotion on raw canvas or wheel-throwing stoneware into bold, structural pottery, my work explores the clean balance between texture, form, and shadow.
The Fine Art Ceramic Series
Driven by a fascination with three-dimensional utility and structural design, this series focuses heavily on lidded containers, functional jars, and striking ceremonial urns. Each piece is individually wheel-thrown from durable stoneware and finished with entirely unique glaze patterns. While the collection features my signature high-contrast black finishes that mimic the dramatic shadows found in studio photography, I have expanded into rich, vibrant jewel tones. Deep wine, earthy forest green, and rich, layered blues pool across the clay surfaces, creating complex, striking visual depths on every vessel.
Textured & Fluid Portrait Paintings
A deeply expressive series of portrait paintings focusing on the emotional architecture of the human face. This collection showcases a stunning contrast in techniques, blending heavy texture applied with a palette knife alongside fluid, translucent, almost watercolor-like effects bleeding into raw canvas. Rich colors and unprimed fabrics work in tandem, allowing the raw texture of the canvas to become an essential structural element of the face itself.
Modern 3D Wall Sculptures
A bold departure into pure abstraction and architectural space. This modern series utilizes meticulously carved foam and high-grade plastics to form sweeping, three-dimensional abstract shapes designed to act as striking wall features. By manipulating physical depth and shadow, these structural relief installations shift dynamically depending on the room's lighting, bringing a sleek, contemporary energy into any modern home.