shantishanty's Profile

Bio

hey my name's candace. i grew up in the suburbs of cleveland ohio where i spent my time getting dirty in the woods near my families home, and making beautiful artsy craftsy messes.

i got bit by the travel bug in high school, my family hosted several foreign exchange students and when i was 16 my parents planned a trip to take my brother and i to switzerland to reconnect with our favorite "sister." i was fully immersed in my wildly artistic side during those high school years and loved every minute of exploring the colors, shapes, flavors, and textures of the european countryside.

after that trip i was far from content settling back into the ohio routine, and so the first chance i got i was out of the country. this time it was me that was the foreign exchange student in the mountains of panama. the central american landscape took my breath away and i whiled away the time doodling the plants and animals and sky that surrounded me.

as much as i loved living there, i was young and had a hunch there was more in store for me elsewhere. i wanted to learn something so i made my mind up to go to school in chicago - a big city to contrast the quiet rural mountain village i had grown accustomed to. i couldn't stomach the idea of being in art school for four (or more!) years so i settled on culinary school as a logical compromise.

one culinary degree, and many odd jobs later, i found my desire to create art sneaking up on me around every corner. i got started painting again with help from some generous supply donations from close friends and set up the dining room of my apartment as an art studio for me and my roommate. i gradually got up the courage to share my art with others and before long was selling enough to supplement my income now and again.

after about eight years though, i was tired of city life and longed to be somewhere where the earth felt more alive and the sun shines all the time. so i made the move to austin texas with my partner (a musician and native austinite) and his boy. and here we live and i am finally content with where i am. i make regular trips to oaxaca, new mexico, and back to the midwest to see my dear family, and save all my pennies to travel somewhere new.

when i am not painting you will find me playing with my beautiful dog, cooking yummy food for my people, practicing yoga day and night, hiking and camping and biking, and making the best coffee in town.

Female, Born on November 26