Meet The Enchanted Visions Artist – Coriander Shea

Coriander Shea

Enchanted Visions Artist, Coriander Shea*

Who is, “insert your name here”?  Tell us a little about yourself.

I am very deep and complex. My mind is constantly shooting in many different directions, simultaneously spinning threads in multiple webs at once, weaving my creativity into them in a myriad of sparkling, evolving patterns. Also, there are a lot of shiny things. 😀

I can’t usually talk about this in public so I will also settle for “Professional Weirdo.” Close enough I suppose lol.

Enchanted Visions Artist, Coriander Shea *

You’re the founder of this group of Fantasy Artists and the driving force behind it.  Why did you decide to bring Enchanted Visions to life?  What is your vision for Enchanted Visions for the future?

Why did I bring it to life?

I am much more jaded than I used to be, but I believe my intentions at the time were that the two who started it amongst themselves were among the very few who first sparked the magick of the Faerie inside me. They essentially helped me find my purpose. I wanted to share my intense gratitude with them in a way they could understand and give back, and create and celebrate the magick of the Faerie together. My next thought was why keep this from others who need that vitality in their lives as well?

I believe my thought processes at the time were if we worked together we would create a synergy that brought the Faerie back into the pop culture spotlight. The Fae were briefly in pop culture in the beginning of the 2000s but were quickly swamped by the Zombie craze. Vampires have been steadily popular for decades, but made a resurgence when the Twilight movies were released. Between the two, Faeries were bumped into the background and forgotten…this led, in turn, to less demand for Faery art as well as less career security for Faery artists.

At the time, I thought if we worked together our synergy could bring Faeries back into the pop culture spotlight…because, at the end of the day, it’s accepted knowledge that everyone is constantly steeped in subconcious stimuli from pop culture themes, including and especially children. So on one hand you have themes of fierce independence, wildness, and a deep spiritual connection to Mother Nature. On the other hand, you have themes of carnage, brutality, and the mass de-valuing of human life with all it’s emotional complexity, capacity for critical thinking and innovation down to a mere source of food. So…which themes would you rather have your children exposed to?

What is your vision for Enchanted Visions for the future?

It’s quite obvious from the various branding I’ve attached to Enchanted Visions where I plan on taking it. That being said, if I had a choice between artists who are accepted by society as famous and artists who are very talented, but under-appreciated because their FB fanpages happen to have under 1000 likes which seems to somehow automatically render them invisible to society…then I will choose the latter every time. I have no patience for sycophant politics and I am not interested in coddling over-inflated egos. Whereas, working with “invisible” artists has consistently been an enriching and wonderful experience not only for me, but also for Enchanted Visions as a whole.

So, if you are one of those “invisible” artists who feel like you are talented but under-appreciated because of the unfortunate hierarchical setup of our current society, then feel free to apply. We’d love to have you join our rebellious art party of Faery & Fantasy happiness. 😉
http://www.enchanted-visions.net/guidelines.html

Each month, Enchanted Visions artists are challenged with creating a piece of art for that month’s theme.  Please share some of the art you have created for Enchanted Visions with us.  For each piece of art, please describe how it interprets that month’s theme, any story behind the art, and the theme’s meaning to you.

Hidden Treasures by Enchanted Visions Artist, Coriander Shea

Hidden Treasures-

I am deeply committed to my own Soul’s continued, constant evolution. They call this process “ascension” in spiritual circles. During the course of my journey, I have come to interact and immerse myself with the consciousness of everything & nothing all together. It calls Itself the “Universe of Universes”…but that is a total mouthful so I just say “Universe”. The Universe manifests itself as golden energy that is very shiny & sparkly & shimmery…so of course I’m going to pay attention lol. The more I interact with this super-shiny golden energy, the more awesome stuff happens. I believe they call this “spiritual alchemy”, turning base metals into gold as a metaphor for turning slow-vibrating, 3rd dimensional bodies into golden, deliciously shiny body thingies.

I attempted to water down my process as much as I could to share it with others, so that they might find it useful… It didn’t work out so well. Most people just thought I was weird-er. I am thankful for the few who embraced what I wrote, however.

This piece basically visually describes one of the cool shiny things that happens when you interact with golden Universe energy. It fills you up like a chalice, and eventually overflows as most cups do when you overfill them. When it spills out around me, it creates this super shiny golden web….it’s really shiny. Have I mentioned that it’s shiny?…..SHINYYYY. *breathes heavily*

Forgotten Summer by Enchanted Visions Artist, Coriander Shea

Forgotten Summer-

This piece is about the myth of Hades & Persephone. I loved this myth growing up and when I discovered that Persephone’s name in Greek is “Kore”, it made me love the myth all the more.
At the time in my life when I created this, I felt naked, vulnerable, overwhelmed, and bewildered. Just lost and in a lot of pain. I needed the strong, bedrock energy of Hades to help me secure my foundations in an existence I found to be incredibly hostile. This artwork was like my clarion call for help…I never got what I needed though, so eventually I learned to make do on my own. I seem to have adapted rather well.

This is obviously one of my more intensely emotional pieces.

The In-Between Handler by Enchanted Visions Artist, Coriander Shea

The In-Between Handler-

Like most normal humans, I pay attention to famous people. I find it curious how much they seem to be the neo-evolution of ancient gods & goddesses, with the air of shininess that seems to permeate their every action (the real reason I pay attention, the sheer SHININESS) and how fans respond to that in ways that are quite close to the way worshippers used to behave towards their beloved deities in ancient times. There are many similarities and my mind adores matching patterns wherever I find them.

During the course of my obsessive compulsive comparisons, I noticed a ghastly trend of women breaking emotionally, lashing out, and quickly being silenced by those around them that held positions of respectability in society, like lawyers and managers. Usually there was a group that handled their finances for them in their “emotionally fragile state” and one person who took care of them and was with them constantly. I heard whispers of these singular individuals being described of as “handlers”. I also heard whispers about what those handlers would do that caused the curious emotional reactions in these women; the rumors ranged from the bizarre to the downright abusive. Either way, I was very pissed off…and upon seeing just how frequently this allegedly happens right under people’s noses, I became downright ENRAGED
.
This artwork was my rebellious response. I intended on learning what psychological devices they used from observation, then…I intended to use their tricks against them. What you use to hurt others can also be used to heal if you are inventive enough.

Muse – Which definition works for you?
1- to reflect or think about, usually in silence , or 2- a physical source of inspiration?

Words can be imbued with any manner of subtle meanings and twisted every which way . This is a basic form of magick. It also is the reason why puns…and advertising still exist. “Muse” means whatever you percieve it to mean and can simultaneously hold as many meanings as you percieve it to mean, however large or small that definition is indicates how expansive or close-minded your own view of reality is.

Which do you rely on to create your art? What happens if your “muse” isn’t working?  How do you break through?

When you start to make a habit of interacting with super shiny Universe energy, the issue is no longer ‘what happens when it’s not working’ but more along the lines of ‘how in the heck do I stop time so I can express all the ideas that are constantly appearing in my brain?!’.

If my “oomph power” is not oomphing properly, it simply means that I am exhausted and need a nap…this is not an uncommon occurence.

Are there challenges knowing you are one of many artists creating art for the same EV theme?  Does this knowledge hinder you or give you momentum when creating for the monthly theme?
Are there challenges knowing you are one of many artists creating art for the same EV theme?

Not at all. It’s simply wonderful. Though sometimes I feel like that out-of-touch soccer mom at their kid’s home game screaming loudly and waving around pom-poms at inopportune times, totally embarassing her kid but with good intentions. So, I try to tone down my emphatic excitement haha.
Does this knowledge hinder you or give you momentum when creating for the monthly theme?
If you’re asking do I compete with the other artists, then the answer would be no. I compete with myself. I am constantly aiming to be the utter best I can be. I take my participation very seriously in Enchanted Visions as I believe it is a subconcious sign of my dedication to the group. I am very dedicated to our little rebellious Faery gathering, and giving Faery & Fantasy artists a safe haven against the pitfalls inherent in any creative career that revolves around an individual’s skill, and thus their ego. Let these artists keep their simple, innocent love of all things Faery & Fantasy, because that is when the art they create is the purest and strongest. Once you start bringing in the egos and fights that inherently rise from egos bumping into each other, you become disenchanted and that will affect the quality of what you create.

Enchanted Visions continues to exist so that there is a space where you can create because you love to and that is it, the end.

Is your art hanging or displayed in your home.  If so, where and how?  If not, why not?  What type of art (besides your own) hangs on your walls?

I have a few of my own pieces on the wall. I am a odd one, so busy expanding myself and furthering the foundations of my career that I have little time left to do the normal human ritual of re-decorating. I should, I am an artist…but most of what I do have up is rather unceremoniously displayed hehe.
Let’s see…I have a piece of the god Set on my mantle that was a gift for my Soul-brother, I have a few colored pencil pieces from my early career displayed on a cool divider thingie that was designed to look like Asian doors until I ripped the paper backing off so now it’s all see-through and evocative and all that jazz, “Enchanted By An Emerald Flame” and “Valhalla Rise” are staring at me from my side table (which also supports the creatively mutilated display lol) from behind a Ganesha statue. My “Ganesha” ink sketch is nearby. Behind my head are all 12 Sidhe Queens from my :Faery Trouble: series displayed as such to silently judge everything I do hehe, and leaning on the back of where I sit are works-in-progress of a Kitsune done in warm grey tones, a smaller piece of my Reiki friend as a Faery, a bare-bones gesture sketch of “The Unwanted Ascent”, and my sentimental sketch of Daenerys winged like her dragons that will be proudly displayed in my future Fan Art gallery. To my left is a work-in-progress graphite of the premier piece from my upcoming new series :Phantom’s Masquerade:. This series is monumentally special to me, as it will feature my namesake re-imagined with totally badass wings and…stuff. You’ll see! 😉

Describe (and provide a photograph if you like) of your studio/work space.   What would you change about it, if anything, for it to become your dream work space?

Current work space:
 Wherever I plant my butt pretty much. Right now it’s my “throne” aka a really dinged up pleather loveseat. I choose this spot because my kittehs are like rambunctious 5 year olds when not monitored and also because it’s closer to the music hehe.

Dream work space:
In normal human terms my ideal work space would be in a house on the beach in one of those sun rooms at the back of the house with floor to ceiling windows yielding a spectacular view of the ocean at all times. It makes me smile just thinking of it…

If I could have any work space in any perspective of existence…then it would be a vast, grand room with the floor and pillars built of light-colored marble with golden veins that sparkled when the light hits it, built in the Grecian style. The areas in between the pillars would lead to an open expanse where you could see a panoramic view of the Earth at all times. It would have color-changing ambient light set in metered spots on the floor and vast curtain-like cloths would roll down that displayed any static or moving image I wanted, along with music that seemed like it drifted all around you from nowhere….it would be kinda like the place where the gods hung out in the newest “Clash of the Titans” movie. That would be a totally badass studio once I got through with it. I wonder if they’re renting?

“Paint” a picture of yourself for us using colorful words to describe you, the total picture.

Cat Lady
Elegant
Impish
Odd
Hermit
Pragmatic
Ingenious
Rebellious
Unrelenting
Vicious
Tenacious
Ferocious
Malicious (when I’m forced to)
Beyond Stubborn
Sensitive
Considerate
Proud
Obsessive
Monumentally Open-Minded
Psychic Oracle (and other assorted words)
Compassionate
Protective
Kind
Multi-Faceted
Truthful
Jaded
Grounded
Perceptive
Cosmic
Neverending

If you would like to see more of Coriander’s art, you can find her at the following links:

WEB- http://www.coriander-shea.com/

FB- https://www.facebook.com/CorianderShea

TWITTER- https://twitter.com/coriander_shea

TUMBLR- http://coriandershea.tumblr.com/

ONLINE FANTASY ART MALL (PINTEREST)- http://www.pinterest.com/coriandershea/

MODEL STOCK (DEVIANTART)- http://phantomsrosestock.deviantart.com/
*photos of me above are previews of my upcoming “Butterfly Jewel” model stock*

PAOM- http://printallover.me/collections/coriander-shea

SHAPEWAYS- https://www.shapeways.com/shops/CorianderShea

ZAZZLE- http://www.zazzle.com/phantoms_rose

FINE ART AMERICA- http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/coriander-shea.html

YOUTUBE (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)- https://www.youtube.com/user/coriandershea/about