Thirty-five-year-old Shia Lynn is a firm believer that you do not have to be an artist to make art.

The self-taught intuitive artist, who has been involved in the local art scene for about 15 years, is the brainchild behind The Artsy Crafty, an online resource for all things related to arts and craft.

As a child she would often follow her mother around, armed with a sketchbook. “I wouldn’t say I was naturally talented, but I did have a crazy passion for art,” she says. “I was always creating something.”

Shia Lynn, however, ended up majoring in advertising, having been discouraged from pursuing art by her family as they worried she would have trouble finding a job. Despite this, she managed a successful side business in fabric painting while still at college.

After graduating, Shia Lynn took on a series of jobs – from retail to teaching – before ending up as a copywriter at The One Academy, where she worked for the next six years.

“I did a lot of soul-searching at the time,” she tells FMT. “The things I was doing in life didn’t make much sense to me.”

When she started The Artsy Craftsy in 2008, she felt more aligned with her purpose. “I made full use of the resources at work and did whatever I could to learn the ropes, anything that could help get me into the creative industry.”

Upon realising she had learnt all she could at her job, Shia Lynn decided to leave the corporate world in 2015 to focus on The Artsy Craftsy, even though she had no idea whether it would work out in the long run.

Six years later the platform is still running, and she has even enlisted the help of three other artists to manage its expansion. In the meantime, she got herself certified as a life coach in the therapeutic arts and is focused on being a mentor.

To that end, Shia Lynn conducts different kinds of workshops, from fabric painting and art jams – where people come together to explore their creative sides on canvas – to intuitive painting with guided meditation.

She also offers consultations and coaching sessions to help others tap into their creative potential and unleash their inner artist.

Shia Lynn shares that she had previously been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, and art played a huge role in the healing process.

“I want people to get creative, make art, and feel good about themselves,” she says, believing that through art, people can achieve personal growth.

She says creativity is connected to a person’s spiritual side, and she meditates every so often to “get visions, which I try to translate into my art”.

According to her, the only reason most people find this difficult is because they don’t know the type of meditation they are suited to.

“I go with what I feel and know, and it’s all based on my interests in spirituality, psychology and magical realism,” says Shia Lynn, who finds inspiration in Vincent van Gogh and Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

“Mixed media is my go-to. I paint a lot of intuitive and visionary art, which is a representation of my thoughts, emotions and consciousness.”

She does not believe in creative blocks, per se; rather, “it’s a choice of whether you want to do something about it or not. I do have my bad moments, but I know it’s not going to last forever”.

Whenever she does get stuck at a painting, Shia Lyn organises and declutters her house. She also feels that waking at 5am every day, while most people are still asleep, helps her to be more productive: “You complete whatever is it that you need to do, and then start your day.”

Like other artists, Shia Lynn has been badly affected by the pandemic, but she hasn’t yet jumped on the online-teaching bandwagon. “I want to give my students a personalised experience, as people have different learning styles,” she explains.

She looks back on her journey from the corporate to art world with fondness, saying she had to do different kinds of jobs to discover what she truly liked.

“I wouldn’t have gained so much field experience otherwise, all of which has helped me run the Artsy Craftsy platform in one way or another,” she reflects.

“I used to perceive the lack of encouragement from my family as a setback for pursuing art, but I don’t anymore. It has come full circle.”

Shia Lynn has advice for those who want to pursue their creative passions but don’t know where to start.

“Don’t overthink it – just go ahead and do it. Make the first move and see what happens next, because the things around us don’t really matter – it’s your passion that does.”

Check out Shia Lynn’s website, and don’t forget to visit The Artsy Craftsy and follow it on Instagram.