Maven to Know is a weekly series by Indy Maven highlighting a member of our community. Want to be featured? Join us!
Give a warm welcome to Shaunt’e Lewis, a self-taught visual artist and illustrator who lives in Fishers. You have probably already seen her stunning work around Indy and in “The New York Times,” but if not, be on the lookout — big things are coming. Her bold and colorful artwork has an unmistakable style and centers around self-identity, black culture, and femininity. Fill us in on the rest, Shaunt’e!
My Maven Superpower is … My creative vision. I’ve always been able to make something out of nothing, whether it be art, cooking, or building something. I love working with my hands.
A fun fact about me is … I love to dance, and I love music. When I was younger, I wanted to be a professional dancer, but I chose the fashion route in college. I still love to dance and have taken salsa lessons in the past. I would love to pick up dancing again.
My first job was … As a clerical worker. I used to type on an old-school typewriter. How times have changed!
The skill I most want to learn is … I would love to learn ceramics. I love working with my hands and would like to expand into sculptures and more three-dimensional work.
Best book I’ve read lately is … We Should all be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers.
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Self-care habit I swear by is … Monthly massages and henna sessions.
I feel most confident when … I am consistent in my health journey and working out. When you feel good mentally and physically it shows, and that feeling motivates me to do great things and conquer the world.
My favorite nonprofit to support is … The Little Timmy Project. They are doing great things in the community and have been longtime supporters of my art.
The best career advice I can offer is … Be consistent and follow your passion. Also, you cannot please everyone, so be true to what makes you happy; your passion will show, and you will gain a following who appreciates your work.
Favorite purchase lately is … We recently purchased a drum set for my son, but the entire family has been enjoying it. I love learning new things and have never played an instrument, so it’s a fun new thing in our house.
My favorite local restaurant dish is … The potato tart and churros from Livery.
The thing I’ve been binging lately is … I’m kind of embarrassed to say, but the show Catfish. We were on vacation a few months back and the show happened to be on, and I watched an episode and then another and another. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Some exciting things that I have coming up are … I will be creating a new mural in Indy at Jiffy Lube on South Emerson which will be up by the end of this summer. Next spring, in 2023, my artwork will be on merchandise in Meijer stores. I am very excited about this opportunity and to be able to walk in a major retail store and see my work. It’s a dream come true.
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Stephanie Groves is the Executive Editor at Indy Maven.
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