Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Meeks.
Hi Shelby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story starts at 22 years old, undiagnosed with social anxiety and panic attack disorder, sobbing over my BRAND NEW computer after ruining it trying to make it in the wedding world as a chalkboard artist. I mean when I say that I CIRED over that dang computer. I was slowly making it into the creative world as an artist, a very small-scale chalkboard artist for weddings. I thought my life was over that night when I ruined my computer. How was I to afford a laptop on a Starbucks barista salary? I couldn’t even afford my place!
I was living with my parents at the time trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, like all of us millennials have done at some point or another. My parents were the best during this strange, second puberty, of a time. Being in your 20’s, especially your young 20’s is a trip, man. But I’m so grateful to have parents that have supported me through all the things, including the most unreasonable reaction to losing a laptop.
My dad saw how important this was to me and offered to help me purchase an iPad (still not a computer… but close, and I was grateful for ANYTHING) This was the time that the apple pencil was just introduced, so my dad being the BEST dad that he is, got me all the bells and whistles to help me move forward through such a “tragic” computer death.
The rest is history as they say. I began doodling, figuring out my new iPad, and finding my way through a different creative medium other than music, which I had done throughout high school. My chalkboard artistry was easy to translate onto a digital canvas. And that’s really what it started as, just random lettering doodles.
Until one day a friend of mine who was working at a church in Mansfield reached out to tell me she had shown her bosses and coworkers my ‘portfolio’ (Using that term lightly……. I had about 6 doodles I had posted on Instagram). They were in search of a creative person to help in the graphics department for a few hours a week. I thought that was the coolest compliment! That they saw something in me and wanted to help me grow in my digital artistry.
I began working as a graphic designer 15 hours a week, slowly teaching myself all of the strange programs while still getting to utilize my very elementary stage digital art skills! I owe a lot to that friend and to that job, I got the chance to work there for 5 and a half years, growing, learning, blooming, and coming into my career phase of life. Through that job, I was approached by another church earlier this year, in February, for a much bigger role.
I’ve since transitioned into this new role, a role that I kept viewing myself as undeserving. That’s the thing about mental health, your brain likes to believe you are unworthy, and sometimes when you’re self-taught, unskilled. With the help of my therapist and my doctor over the years, I have been able to believe in myself, believe in my skills, and trust that Jesus has more of a plan than I EVER thought I did, even during that fateful night of my MacBook’s death.
Now, at 30 years old, I am the Creative Associate at First Baptist Church Arlington, a job that still sounds like it’s for a more adulterer adult, and I currently freelance graphic design as well as managing my digital art storefront through Etsy! It’s hard summing up all of the life that happened between the mentally undiagnosed 22 yr old to the ‘confident’ (using that lightly) 30 years that I am today.
I took on any projects and commissions from pet portraits to storybook designs, never turning anything down. I’m just so grateful for those who have constantly believed in me and taken chances on me. I especially want to express gratitude to my husband, friends, family, therapist, doctor, and my Jesus. I’d probably still be crying over that dang laptop.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been struggles. I’ve been very vocal about my mental health struggles since I was diagnosed with panic attack disorder and social anxiety in my 20s. Being any sort of creative is such a transparent thing. It’s a lot of pouring your soul into creations for other people, who will have opinions about your work. And rightfully so if they are commissioning you! But it can still be a hard thing to work around.
Working and collaborating with others can be a struggle too, it’s A LOT of people, and trying to remain passionate about your designs. It can also be daunting promoting yourself. I tend to be an “I’m not all that” type of person, so sometimes it can feel braggy or prideful. But it’s just something creatives need to learn to be comfortable with! People won’t be able to find you if they can’t FIND you!
Also, and lastly, time management is a big one. Between a full-time job, a family, a small custom art business, and graphic design freelancing, you can burn out easily! But keeping boundaries and a realistic schedule for yourself in all of these areas (and sticking to them!!) can do your brain WONDERS!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a custom pet portraiture, illustrator, digital artist, and graphic designer! I feel like they could easily sound like they’re all the same thing! By day I am a graphic designer at a big church in Arlington, TX. By nights, weekends, or any other time in life I get the privilege to draw people’s pets, illustrate digitally, and design as a freelancer.
With graphic design, I get to design logos, eye-catching and modern graphics, books, box kits, invitations, website graphics, and any and everything! With my custom pet portraits, I get to create a timeless piece for families who have added to their family or recently lost. I’ve always had a heart for animals, and getting to gift people with something they can keep forever of their loved pet is such a treasure!
Lastly, and I’d say what I’m most passionate about is illustrating! With this, I’ve gotten to design children’s books, fun family portraits, and whimsical sceneries! I feel what sets me apart is being self-taught in all of the above. As I mentioned previously, sometimes I can be hard on myself since I’m “homegrown”, but I’ve learned to appreciate how outside of the box I get to think!
I do have a degree in interior design, which has always been a great rooted resource in understanding elements and principles of design, but being self-taught in graphic design and digital art has helped me remain a little rebellious in the world of digital artistry. I’ve always had a knack for pairing the unlikely together (ie colors, clothing, etc). I can test the limits, and make up my path while I create!!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
My whole career has been sponsored by risks. I have a long backstory of how I ended up where I am today, and the most recurring theme is risk-taking. The job I have now is all because of a friend who reached out over Facebook asking if I’d be interested in a small graphic design job at a church. For the next 3+ years, everything was trial and error, TRYING to adapt to the “fake it ‘til you make it” mantra.
Even to this day, people approach me with commissions that I have never tried before. I think if it weren’t for YEARS of saying yes to anything and everything (all the late nights trying to figure a problem out, learning new skills on the fly, etc.) I would not be in the position I am now. Word of mouth is a crazy, wonderful, scary thing.
Not every project has been a win, but I refuse to NOT take risks and try new things. If you were to show me 5 years ago—heck, even last year—what my portfolio would look like today I would have told you you got the wrong Shelby Meeks. Risk-taking is so necessary in the world of creativity (trying things your way, other people’s way, or a way that you accidentally discovered), and however terrifying it may be, it’s all so fun and oh so worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: shelbylenora.wixsite.com/
portfolio - Instagram: @shelbzmekz
- Other: etsy.com/shop/rebelandzo
