Meet Shelby Nicholas | Story Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelby Nicholas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelby, why did you pursue a creative career?
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to tell stories in animation. Luckily, I had a very supportive mother who encouraged me to pursue this passion. As I learned more about the industry, my passion led to me to storyboarding in animation, due to my affinity for visual narrative, character behavior and emotion.

Animation has always been fundamentally part of my being, my heart, and my soul. It was something I knew I had to pursue with everything I had, regardless of whether I could turn it into my career or not.

Animation has been present in every part of my life. When I was young, it served as a tool for imagination and a form of escapism. And as I grew older, and faced more difficult challenges, it became my way of comprehending the things I was struggling with. By visualizing and abstracting my experiences, I was able to express what I was incapable articulating through words. Telling stories through animation is my purest form of communication. It is the only language with which I can feel truthfully connect with others.

Creating and telling stories in animation is something I fundamentally need to do. I am just very lucky that my hard work, time and energy allowed for me to be capable of turning this intrinsic drive inside of me into a career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally? Please tell us more about your art. How did you get to where you are today professionally? Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

1)Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about.
Although I work in an entertainment-based industry, the parts of animation that I’m most drawn to is the honest and truthful nature of it. I believe that animation has so much potential as a medium for creating empathy and truth, and for articulating the human experience through metaphor and symbolism.

I always feel very connected the characters that I draw, and really immerse myself their experiences and emotions. I try to bring out their vulnerabilities and focus on their subtle interactions and reactions to the world around them. For me, it is the human moments of imperfection that make us connect and feel for the characters we see on screen.

While I love exploring all sorts of stories in my professional work, I tend to return to similar themes in my personal work. Much of my personal work uses metaphor and fairytales as a framework to explore mental health and what it means to be female. I am extremely interested in how visual narrative can be used to explore trauma, help us to cope, and ultimately help us begin to heal. Additionally, I love exploring moments of joy, connection, and wonder. I love leaning into the moments that remind us of the beauty and vibrancy of life.

2)How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?

Art has never been easy for me. It took many years and long hours of hard work to get where I am today. Even as a working professional, I am still constantly studying, practicing, and learning how to improve. Whenever it gets difficult, I always remind myself that even if I don’t have confidence in my current ability, I can have confidence in my ability to improve. It is always helpful for me to keep a record of my old work so that I can look back and see my progress. That way, I can remind myself that even if I’m struggling, I will get past this point and continue on.

3) What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

It’s okay to ask for help. You can only do the best that you can do, and that’s okay. As long as you are trying your hardest that is enough. No matter how your career goes, you as an individual and as a human being, are always enough.

4) What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

More than anything, I just hope that the stories I tell can connect with others. Even if it’s just one person, I hope that in some way, I might be able to help that person feel understood.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh man, I love LA so this is hard to choose! For brunch, I would recommend Lou French on the Block for pastries or Hank’s for bagels. For dinner, I would recommend Joy on York for Taiwanese food or Mogu Mogu for Mazeman (broth-less ramen). And for dessert, I would recommend Sunright Tea Studio for some boba milk tea or Milk Jar for cookies. In the winter or spring, when the hills are green, definitely take a hike in Griffith Park! Otherwise, I recommend visiting a fun urban area like Little Tokyo or visiting a nice outdoor mall like the Grove or Century City Mall since there are always fun activities and attractions there.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe everything to my family, friends and teachers who have supported me along the way. In particular, I would love to dedicate this to my mom, who has loved me endlessly and has always been there for me. I would also love to thank my storyboard mentor Stephanie, who has given me so much encouragement, guidance and has served as an amazing role model, as well as my college art mentor Eric Telfort, who helped foster my passion.

Website: https://www.shelbynicholasart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senni_bea/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/shelby-nicholas-1816b3143

Image Credits
Shelby Nicholas