Featured Artist
Shea McCarthy was born in Buffalo, New York in 1999. She has been drawing, painting and creating since the early age of four. Shea was accepted directly into the BFA Studio Art degree program at SUNY Oswego prior to her attendance in 2017. She will finish this degree in 2021, and then proceed to complete a Masters degree in K-12 education. Shea has been awarded the Kathy Budd Emerging Artist and the Robert Sullins Studio Award by the SUNY Oswego Art Department. She has also been awarded The Al Bremmer award for her artwork in both the 56th and 57th Annual Juried Shows at SUNY Oswego. For the 2018-2019 school year, Shea was the Creative Director of The Oswegonian, the student-run newspaper of SUNY Oswego. In February 2020, Shea was the first undergraduate student of SUNY Oswego to have a painting chosen for display in the SUNY Global Center in NY, NY as a part of the year-long “Global Abstraction” show. Shea enjoys creating in oil paint, watercolor, and ink.
Afloat
Broken Frame
Together
Glow
Craze 1
Craze 2
City
Vein
World
Craze 3
Spin
Contain Medusa
INTERVIEW
ANGLES: Hi Shea! Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?
SM: Hi! I am currently a junior at SUNY Oswego, in the process of getting my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with a concentration in painting. I will be pursuing a Masters of Arts in teaching degree upon graduating, with the goal of becoming a K-12 certified art teacher.
ANGLES: How did you get started in creating art?
SM: I have been drawing, painting and creating art ever since I can remember. It has been my passion from such a young age, and most of my earliest memories are centered around art-making. I can’t imagine my life without it.
ANGLES: What does your process look like?
SM: Most of my work is very impulsive, I work very quickly and get into my own mental “zone”. I usually have no perception of time when I start a painting. I could keep going for hours.
ANGLES: How do you know when a piece is finished?
SM: I can’t help but smile at this question, just because in art school I am often told that art is never finished. Professors are always encouraging students to work back into their paintings to make them the very best that they can be. Personally, I feel that my pieces are done when I take a long look at them and don’t feel the urge to add/change anything.
ANGLES: What inspires your art, particularly the pieces you submitted to ANGLES?
SM: Most of my portfolio consists of abstract paintings that feature shapes. I am inspired by shapes in the world around me- if i see a shape that I find to be intriguing, I remember the shape and then incorporate it into my work. I do all of my work freehand, meaning I do not use rulers.
ANGLES: Who (or what) are some of your biggest inspirations?
SM: My parents and family have always supported my passion for art, but my grandma has been my rock throughout every art-related thing. She gave me my first pack of pens, and I have the word “create” tattooed on my wrist in her handwriting. She’s the kindest human, and such an inspiration to me.
ANGLES: What other hobbies do you have?
SM: I have always enjoyed reading, creative writing, and I was a sideline/allstar cheerleader for 10 years.
ANGLES: Where can we find more of your work?
SM: My website! www.shea-mccarthy.com
I recently received the honor of having one of my paintings accepted into a show in NYC at the SUNY Global Center- so I am very excited about that!