Shannon Francine Kuu Iini Olayan Andresen Christensen
Me the Me • Me, where do I begin? Creativity. In one way, shape of form I have been creative for as long as I can remember. Driven. I'm a little of that to. (Thankfully no one has control to add comments to this section but me.)Interests & Ideas. I have tons of them. Which leads back to the Creativity thing.
Me the Student • I love to learn. There are so many things I want to do and try. Sculpting, leaded glass, marathon runner, world museum visitor, grotto builder... That's why I went back to school, at 38, to learn to paint. Some things I might get to in this life but I know I won't get to everything. Heaven to Me will be having the time to think, test, and take on all of those things I can't possibly get to here.
Me the Thinker • There is nothing more stimulating than thinking. The brain is extraordinary, and my brain is average and I still think it's amazing. You can literally sit with nothing and still be taken to the depths of emotion, heights of creativity, or the breath of revelation and come away invigorated and enlightened. Staggering.
Me the Artist • Because I like to think deeply I've taken my art in the direction of allegory, metaphor and symbolism. It's hard to paint with that focus and vision, not every piece I paint fits that genre. But my better pieces do. It just naturally evolves there. My art is part of me and I want it to be a convincing expression of what I think and feel.
Me the Designer • I just can't help it. The design process is so much fun. When I walk into a person's house, business, school, or event I critique. I take all those things I've learned and my own design vision then mentally voice - what is wonderful and what doesn't work. Sometimes I say unintentional rude things (sorry Margaret, circa 1994) while evaluating. Sounds like a typical critique to me. Some people might say I need help for it.
Me the Mentor • I believe in the power of influence. Besides having a ton of family (12 bros & sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins...) I have had wonderful, wise advisors along the way in my life. They probably didn't even realize how supportive they were to me. I try to be open to that opportunity with others. With art in particular, I teach, so that maybe I can spark someone else's creative spirit.
Me the Wife • Wife to The Boyfriend, aka The Husband. We met when we were teenagers. And actually he knew me before I knew him. (I had eyes for different guy - another story.) I think our relationship is summed up best from a Princess Bride quote, "True love, you think this happens everyday?" I might add, true love doesn't come easy but is totally worth the price.
Me the Mom • Mom, that's what my 8 kids(and a few others) call me. There are 5 girls, 3 boys and range in age from 10 - 25. I've also taught and trained other's kids at schools, camps, home and church. My test on mothering is - if you like your kids (more often than not) that's a good sign. Phewf! A test I pass.
Me the Homemaker • Home has been my workplace for 28 years. It has housed all kinds of activity from parties to parade float building and everything in between. In my home, and the homes of others, I've have seen how it can be managed. And mismanaged.
Me the Business • Business for me, has been about financial and fulfillment needs. I have scoured business books and blogs and brainstormed how it all fits for the stay at home woman. My home business is where my babies and business meet.
Me the Me • Part of my middle name (Kuu Iini) has the hawaiian meaning for "my desire". For as long as I can remember I have had the desire to be creative. Visionary. Inventive. Imaginative. That's a constant. I will take on projects for no apparent reason (verify that with my husband) simply for the creative fix I get. No matter where I find myself, who I am with, or what role I'm in... I will be creative.
"Shannon" means...
little wise one little old wise one little wise owl wise one ancient wise river
But the meaning that I read as a girl and have known the longest is...
small but wise
I've always kept that in the back of my brain with the aim of working toward it.
