Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharli Ratliff.
Sharli, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I got started in the beauty industry in 2011 after getting my license in Esthetology from Ogle in Fort Worth. I started out doing makeup at runway shows, and photo shoots to start building my portfolio and resume. At the time, I started doing makeup, I was very self- conscious about my work, and was very shy. But I found the more makeup I did, the more confident I became in myself. The more I connected with people, and helped people through my work- the happier I became with myself. I loved doing photo shoots the most. Photo shoots allowed me to be as creative as I wanted to be. They became my outlet. A lot of experiences that I was afraid to speak to people about were expressed in a lot of my photo shoot concepts. I found my voice through creativity and through Sharli B. Artistry. Fast forward… I married the girl of my dreams in 2015 after finally coming out to the world. I had hidden the fact that I was not straight for about 34 years! I found the love of my life and also found a new passion. In 2017, we purchased our first camera- a Canon Rebel T6- and had planned to use it for product photography, and taking images of my work. But as soon as I picked up the camera, so many new ideas came to me, and I never put it down. So, Fourthseed Photography was born… it’s a collaborative effort between my wife and I. My wife focuses more on product photography, and I focus on everything else! Lol, I love working with everyday people that I connect with- people who are always shocked when I tell them that I’ve come up with a concept for them. I’d found another way to connect with people and help people see the beauty in themselves that goes unnoticed.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it has not been a smooth road. But the struggles made the journey awesome in the long run. Some of the struggles I went through had to do with my mindset back then and even up until about the last year, and the way I felt about myself. The narrative I used to play over and over in my head back then was that I wasn’t enough and that my work was never good enough. That mindset made me compare myself, and my work to others. I would have an awesome gig, but once I left I would start dwelling on the things that I thought I could have done better- instead of focusing on all of the positive things that happened. I would literally make myself miserable with all of the negative things I’d tell myself about five years ago. It’s a cycle that has taken literally years to break. Now, in 2019, I have changed the narrative completely. I see the beauty in my scars, and peace in my mistakes. It’s almost like I’m seeing with a new set of eyes. It took a lot of inner work to even get that far and the work is not done, that’s for sure! But I finally see myself for who I AM. I forgave myself for how I used to treat and talk to myself for so many years. There are so many things I would say to someone just starting out… but let’s start here. Repeat after me: “I am uniquely and divinely made. I release the desire to compare myself to others. I release myself from the pain of the past by forgiving myself. I am beautiful and worthy of every truly beautiful thing. I am good enough. I have enough. I AM enough.”
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Well I recently realized and I know now that I was meant to help other people. I really always knew it… but I used to let fear stop me. But I am a survivor of so many things. I have been raped. I have been abused… and I survived all of that darkness. I feel like I can be a light to other people that may be going through or have been through the same type of darkness. I feel like my story can help others. I’m also known for my creativity, and I love working with people that don’t see the beauty that I see in them. I want to do what I love, and help people at the same time. My focus currently is working on making my passions, and what I love doing a full-time job. That would be so awesome!
Which women have inspired you in your life?
My mom has been a huge inspiration for me. When I came out, I was so scared that she would not accept me for who I was. She did though, and let me know that as long as I am happy with who I am, she will always be. She’s a big inspiration for me, and I love her so much. Words cannot express how much I appreciate my wife for always inspiring me creatively and spiritually. She is my muse, my motivator, and my “act right” when I need it. LOL Another woman that inspired me so long ago, and still inspires me today is Brandy Michele Adams of the Waas Gallery. (She doesn’t even know. LOL) I used to do the RawDallas showcases when she was a host. One of my favorite showcases was the one I titled “Darkwood”. It was a very deep showcase for me because I was going through a very trying time internally. I planned out everything from the music, the models to the makeup and hair, and I collaborated with some awesome talents to bring it to life. Each model had a different label or title. I’ve never told anyone this but my wife…but each model represented a part of me; a part of me that I either had to let go of, was battling to accept, had to overcome, and even a model that represented who I wanted to be in the future. It was very deep, and I was so afraid to explain that to anyone at the time. Once my segment was over, Brandy stopped me on stage and told me that she loved it, and could tell that I put my heart and thought into it. That meant a lot to me, and I never forgot it. At the time because I was so afraid of being who I was and afraid of being vulnerable and showing that side to people…it meant a lot. Creativity was the way that I showed my emotions. So yeah.. That meant a lot to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fourthseedphoto.com/
- Phone: 6822330078
- Email: FOURTHSEEDPHOTO@GMAIL.COM
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fourthseedphoto/ & https://www.instagram.com/sharli_b_artistry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fourthseedphotography/
- Other: https://www.sharlibartistry.com/
Image Credit:
Makeup & Photography by me. Models Junior Salas, Twyla Williams, Nicole Walker, Faith, Rhonda Mctyre, Anne Heilner, and Sonia Quezada
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
