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Jennifer Shada’s watercolor paintings engage the viewer, inviting deep contemplation of the interplay between culture, style, and personal narrative. Through depictions of textiles, interior spaces and everyday artifacts, Shada creates a visual dialogue connecting the viewer to her unique experiences and perspectives of the world around her. Each painting serves as a moment frozen in time, encouraging one to pause and appreciate the beauty of simplicity and familiarity.
Published on April 1st, 2025. Artist responses collected in months previous.
Talk about some of the logistics of your art practice. What systems do you have in place to help streamline your workflows?
There are a few different logistics I have set up for a successful studio practice. First, I consider the hours of the regular forty hour work week, and when I am not in the classroom teaching, I am in the studio working on my paintings, or at least I really try to make that happen. Secondly, when I leave my studio for the day, I leave all of my work out on the table, paint mixed and brushes laid out on my towel, so that when I return to paint the next day, everything is already picked out and in motion; I don’t have to think about what I am doing, I just need to put the in hours. Lastly, I am always thinking about the next piece I’m going to make, so it is rare that I don’t have my mind on what it is I want to do next, which keeps for a my studio practice moving forward without a lull. These systems have proven successful over and over for me, even if the work produced isn’t a major success in itself, it keeps the work habit flowing.
What is some advice for someone who does not have any experience who would like to pursue a career like yours?
Work hard! And then work harder. Having an artist career isn’t that easy, especially when you are doing all the work yourself of promoting your artwork, framing your artwork, pricing your artwork, and all the other small details of the business side of an art career that I can’t think of right now because it’s a lot! Making the work might be the easy part, but then all the other type of work that comes with it takes a lot of time and dedication. I’ve known for a long time that I never want to live off my artwork sales, so I am happiest now teaching a full load of classes and doing my artwork in between.
What was the lowest point in your art career and how did you overcome those adversities?
I’m not sure that I’ve had a really low point in my art career thus far, and maybe it’s coming so I’ll get back to you if and when that happens. But I remember during Covid, I could not get hired to teach anywhere. Classes were all moving online, if they weren’t being canceled all together, and I started to really get down that everything I was looking forward to in teaching in person was going to change forever and I had just worked so hard in getting my masters degree. Eventually, I did get hired to teach art, and it was at the number one school that I wanted to teach at, so it all worked out just fine. Now I teach at two schools and I couldn’t be happier.
How did you come into the type of artwork you are doing now?
I am painting the work I am doing now because I am no longer with my gallery and I am doing exactly how I want. Having a gallery was a really great learning experience, as well as successful in terms of art sales, but I am happier now painting a variety of work instead of one theme or concept that began to feel limiting. I am also now taking the time to ask myself lots of questions like what it is I want my work to look like? What do I want to learn in new processes of making? How can I combine my different interests into one piece or pieces? I’m definitely having a lot of fun exploring these questions and discovering further questions as the work is made.
What was an epiphany in your art practice that took you to the next level?
I think a recent epiphany was when I decided to focus some time on making textiles with yarns and fibers, and then introducing the similar pattern or weave into my paintings. I’ve been painting images of fabric for a long time, and when I thought about making my own fabric and textiles, I realized there was similar language between the work that has been really fun to explore. I’ve begun cutting up finished paintings and then weaving them together, some more successful than others, but it’s been really satisfying to see the different parts of each piece come together as one. Also, I am not taking anything too seriously in the work. I am not limiting myself much on what it is I am painting, but trying to listen to the parts of the work that is fun and interesting to make.
Talk about some of the logistics of your art practice. What systems do you have in place to help streamline your workflows?
There are a few different logistics I have set up for a successful studio practice. First, I consider the hours of the regular forty hour work week, and when I am not in the classroom teaching, I am in the studio working on my paintings, or at least I really try to make that happen. Secondly, when I leave my studio for the day, I leave all of my work out on the table, paint mixed and brushes laid out on my towel, so that when I return to paint the next day, everything is already picked out and in motion; I don’t have to think about what I am doing, I just need to put the in hours. Lastly, I am always thinking about the next piece I’m going to make, so it is rare that I don’t have my mind on what it is I want to do next, which keeps for a my studio practice moving forward without a lull. These systems have proven successful over and over for me, even if the work produced isn’t a major success in itself, it keeps the work habit flowing.
What is some advice for someone who does not have any experience who would like to pursue a career like yours?
Work hard! And then work harder. Having an artist career isn’t that easy, especially when you are doing all the work yourself of promoting your artwork, framing your artwork, pricing your artwork, and all the other small details of the business side of an art career that I can’t think of right now because it’s a lot! Making the work might be the easy part, but then all the other type of work that comes with it takes a lot of time and dedication. I’ve known for a long time that I never want to live off my artwork sales, so I am happiest now teaching a full load of classes and doing my artwork in between.
What was the lowest point in your art career and how did you overcome those adversities?
I’m not sure that I’ve had a really low point in my art career thus far, and maybe it’s coming so I’ll get back to you if and when that happens. But I remember during Covid, I could not get hired to teach anywhere. Classes were all moving online, if they weren’t being canceled all together, and I started to really get down that everything I was looking forward to in teaching in person was going to change forever and I had just worked so hard in getting my masters degree. Eventually, I did get hired to teach art, and it was at the number one school that I wanted to teach at, so it all worked out just fine. Now I teach at two schools and I couldn’t be happier.
How did you come into the type of artwork you are doing now?
I am painting the work I am doing now because I am no longer with my gallery and I am doing exactly how I want. Having a gallery was a really great learning experience, as well as successful in terms of art sales, but I am happier now painting a variety of work instead of one theme or concept that began to feel limiting. I am also now taking the time to ask myself lots of questions like what it is I want my work to look like? What do I want to learn in new processes of making? How can I combine my different interests into one piece or pieces? I’m definitely having a lot of fun exploring these questions and discovering further questions as the work is made.
What was an epiphany in your art practice that took you to the next level?
I think a recent epiphany was when I decided to focus some time on making textiles with yarns and fibers, and then introducing the similar pattern or weave into my paintings. I’ve been painting images of fabric for a long time, and when I thought about making my own fabric and textiles, I realized there was similar language between the work that has been really fun to explore. I’ve begun cutting up finished paintings and then weaving them together, some more successful than others, but it’s been really satisfying to see the different parts of each piece come together as one. Also, I am not taking anything too seriously in the work. I am not limiting myself much on what it is I am painting, but trying to listen to the parts of the work that is fun and interesting to make.
Find Jennifer Shada on Instagram
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