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The Melanomad made it to Reno!
October 10, 2012 by Ed Mattingly in Blog Report, Class Connection / 4 Comments.
Contact Ed Mattingly by email or visit Ed's web site, http://edsherwin.blogspot.com/
I know that we are all busy and that we are being pulled in multiple directions by multiple forces. Those forces might be our children, our significant others, our aging parents, siblings, our job, our employees (different set of children) our demanding clients, social media, our friends, our hobbies, our health, our goals, our “to-do lists” or just our continual state of being “in demand”. With any or all of these real demands on our time, how can we find the time to make it to the IDAL Convention. There is the cost of travel and classes, but there is the most expensive cost… TIME.
For myself, I can tell you that the experience of being around our amazingly talented members for a few days is truly inspirational and an “expensive” TIME OUT that pays big dividends. The classes, Expo booths and demos, time spent socializing, lectures, competitions as well as being immersed in our creative community for a few days is extremely healing, rejuvenating and inspirational.
Deserving of Rejuvenation: One person that I have had the pleasure to get to know over the past couple of years is Shannon McGivern (aka: Honey Badger) Shannon was a Sherwin-Williams decorative product specialist in the upstate NY market. I met her at an interior design day at an ASID educational event. During our first visit her artistry, design sense, her positive attitude and her dry humor left quite an impression. At the time we worked together, Shannon was awaiting the results off a biopsy from potential Melanoma. She was diagnosed with a fairly advanced case and had the surgery to remove the tissue. Shannon is now a cancer survivor. She is careful to check in with her doctors regularly and striving to live a healthy and productive life moving forward.
Part of her drive to make the most out of life, has led her to make some serious life changing decisions. Shannon decided to follow her passion and her gift and become a full time decorative artists and designer. She alerted me earlier this year to let me know that she was quitting her job at Sherwin-Williams so that she could devote herself fully to her craft. She also alerted me that she was driving across country with the full intention of making it to the convention and to taking the business class that Pat Ganino and I were teaching together.
Shannon did make it to the Convention in time, but barely as she had vehicle issues. She fixed her vehicle somewhere in the Midwest and put the “Pedal to the Metal” for a non-stop 14 hour driving marathon ending at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. (See the photo of her “Shaggin Wagon” on Facebook) Shannon was a great asset to Pat and my business/portfolio class and the convention at large. She also left with
Pat Ganino’s, Jack Nicholson painting from the “Speed Painting” event just after Colormix on the expo floor. (Lucky girl)Happily, “Shaggy” as she calls her “sweet ride,” got her safely home to Albany, NY last month.
When you wonder if you can do something that takes a little more than you feel that you can possibly add to your life, think of the “Melanomad” and her cross country trip to make it to the IDAL Convention in Reno.
Check out photos and comments from her trip here. Her website…
I hope to see you at our Convention in Indianoplis in October of 2013!!
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4 Comments
Janie
Shannon is quite an inspiration. She is proof positive that if you want to accomplish something, if you put your mind (and spirit) to it you can do it!! Whether it’s a career change, surviving or a cross country trip to spend with special friends at IDAL.
Thanks for this article Ed. I’m sure that both you and Shannon influenced each other!
10 Oct 2012 11:10 am
NameTheresa Cheek
Wow…..we make decisions every day that accumulate to form our future. How wonderful that Shannon saw a bigger picture and stayed focused on her goal!
It is always a juggle of career and private life to carve out time for convention, but I always book it as a job and attend because I know the benefits are life changing!
10 Oct 2012 05:10 pm
Eva Gallant
Shannon, I knew you were pretty special when I met you in class but I have to say you are an amazing person and a true inspiration to all of us. May you remain in good health and always conquer what lies ahead with such vigor and determination. I am proud to be your friend!
11 Oct 2012 02:10 am
Michele Hopkins
Ed, thank you for taking the time to write this beautiful, inspiring article on Shannon. I feel so fortunate to have met Shannon and have her stay with me and my family on her Melanomad tour. Her positive, upbeat attitude and sense of humor defiantly filled our house with joy and laughter. I am so happy that I attended the IDAL convention, and got to meet people like Shannon, Ed, Pat, and many others that I will remain in contact with because of their amazing energy!
11 Oct 2012 07:10 pm
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