Ask an Artist with Shay Livenspargar
We are back with another Ask an Artist feature. We can’t wait for you to get to know artist Shay Livenspargar! Shay is a talented resin artist who is generous in sharing her knowledge and experience with all of us.
If you are a part of our Artist Support Page on Facebook you may already know Shay of Shay Livenspargar Art and her wonderful contributions to the artist community. Shay is a full time mom and artist (we know many of you can relate to this!). She started introducing resin into her art a few years ago as a way to finish her canvas art work.
Since then she has been experimenting with lots of other ways to use resin. Shay has been making tumblers for about three years now and is amazed by how far they’ve come in that time. When Shay isn’t busy as a mom or creating her beautiful art, she is active in our community.
She shares tumbler tutorials and advice with her fellow resin artists and we always love it when she’s around! Read on to hear how Shay balances all the hats she wears and some of the tips she has for resin artists!
Ask an Artist with Shay Livenspargar
We asked Shay to tell us a little bit about her family…
“I have four children who range from 26 to 7 years old. We know… its quite the spread. I have been married 20 wonderful years to a supportive husband who loves to watch my art grow.”
And about her work life…
“My work life consists of managing my household as well as being a full time working artist. People ask me often how I do it? Honestly…. my brain just doesn’t turn off. I cant stop creating.”
Where she would go if she could go anywhere in the world, and why…
“If I could go anywhere in the world , I think it would be to deliver the art to my clients. People all over the world order my art and it would be a dream to be able to personally deliver them their art and meet them.”
Where she sees herself in 10 years…
“It’s difficult to imagine where I will be in 10 years. I never thought I would be where I am today and doing what I am doing. Literally, I have the honor of bringing smiles to people hearts and I am living my best life. I would hope that in 10 years I will be continuing doing just that but perhaps be able to reach more people.
One of her strengths and one weakness…
“My greatest strength is my determination. I am not afraid to conquer new projects. I learn from my mistakes and am driven by my passion. My weakness is technology. I know its something I need to work on and I am. I have a hard time sitting in front of a computer for lengths of time.”
How she balances tumbler making, family, and work…
“Balancing family with work is no easy task. Raising children is a full time job. I raise my glass to those parents who are doing both; working and raising children. Its very easy to become so consumed in the daily grind called life. In my opinion we often don’t allow ourselves the time to find our passion. I was one of those people. Then one day I decided, that it was okay to do something just for me. I began doodling with water color. Watercolor made me sooo happy and I literally could not stop. I became so infatuated with the feeling of happiness art was bringing me that I began expanding my mediums. To this day I encourage people to allow themselves to find their passions.”
Her favorite project…And her least favorite…
“I have so many projects that I have done, it’s impossible to pick only one. I love creating tumblers because I can create something that brings so much joy to people. By personalizing them, I can make each one unique. There isn’t any project I have done using resin that I don’t like. Its been a journey of learning from mistakes but a fun journey all the while. CCDIY has a wonderful group of creators that are so helpful and inspiring.”
A tip she would give beginning resin artists…
“If I were a beginner to resin art I would do as much research as possible first. Ask artists questions and watch videos and tutorials so that you can set yourself up to create the best you can. Find a resin company that you feel is easy to approach with all your questions. I would also recommend starting off by doing a small project. Perhaps on a piece of wood? That way you can familiarize yourself with the technique.”
Her favorite CCDIY product…
“CCDIY has amazing products. I would say a few of my faves are…the Dispersion Colors, Fast Set Epoxy, and Artist Resin, as well as the micas.
Her must have tool for resin art…
“The CCDIY torch!!”
The Wrap Up…
We are so blessed to have Shay and her gorgeous art as part of our community! Many of us know how hard it is to find balance between family and business. Shay is not only doing it, she’s doing it with style! We love her message about making time for yourself and following your dreams! It is easy to get so caught up in wearing the mom/daughter/wife hat that we forget we are still individuals with creative needs. Making popsicle stick/paper plate crafts with our kiddos is super fun, but sometimes we need a little more. And it is more than ok to make time for that! You can find more of Shay’s art and inspiration on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. She is also working on getting her website up and running (congratulations on that big step!) and we will update when that’s ready to go!
Be sure to follow us on Pinterest so you can stay on top of everything that’s new and never miss a blog post!
If you want more inspiration and information we have a Facebook group for that. Join us in Counter Culture DIY Artist Support where we, and other artists, offer ideas, answer questions, and support each other!
Do you have an art project using any of our products that you want to share? Send it to us at [email protected], and we can feature them here!