Bio

Shannon Scates was born in Washington, D.C., in 1986, and raised in Prince George’s (P.G.) County, Maryland. She has always found the ability to create something new very magical. Shannon’s family culture provided the foundation for the artist she has become. There was pride in their community, pride in their history, and endless stories of the realities of their Black experience. Growing up in P.G. County, Maryland also allowed her to see Black people prospering as the norm, not an exception. This exposure provided Shannon with a pride in her people and culture that could not be shaken.

Shannon started painting in 2007, while attending school as a marketing major at North Carolina A&T State University. While at A&T, she took a drawing class and her professor encouraged her to participate in an art show after seeing her paintings. He told her she had something special, and she has been painting ever since. She has a passion for continuously improving her skills in creating art by taking classes and she is constantly reading art-related books.

Shannon's art has been on the cover of Washington D.C.-based Hill Rag Magazine and she was most recently featured in a Shoutout LA article as an artist to know. She has exhibited in numerous group shows including Black Beyond Belonging at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with the Sepia Collective, Artomatic DC, Art All Night DC, and the AJOYO show in London, in 2020. She also had her first solo show in 2021, titled ‘Today Is a Great Day to Be You’, at Jubilee Arts in Baltimore, Maryland. Shannon’s work was also exhibited and auctioned at the 2022 Wearable Art Gala, hosted know Richard and Tina Lawson. Her art is also on view at various establishments throughout Los Angeles, including the Lazy Rose Café and Civil Coffee in downtown LA.

Her art is vibrant, and her use of bright colors is meant to be a visual celebration intended to uplift the viewer. She “speaks life through art”.  Shannon also recognizes the importance of telling our stories. She likes to accompany each piece with its own narrative, as she believes our stories are what facilitate connection, understanding and most important, love.

She intends to use her creative abilities to heal and inspire. She also enjoys using her art to give back through donations to a number of fundraisers and art auctions. She most recently led an art workshop at the Sanctuary of Hope in Los Angeles. This organization is dedicated to serving vulnerable youth and young adults who are foster care, homeless, or at-promise.

Shannon currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California