Shannon Fennell Artist


Get to know the artist



Shannon Fennell, Artist





Born and raised in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, Shannon moved north to Grande Prairie, Alberta in 2000, and then to Ontario in 2017. She said the next move would probably place her in the mid-North Atlantic. AND... it did! Since summer 2021 Shannon resides in Plymouth, England.


She refers to herself as a Multidisciplinary Artist as she works with anything that comes to hand - oils, acrylics, watercolours, pen & ink, pastels as well as ceramics, sculpting, glass, fibre arts, paper and cloth mache, pyrography, beadwork, print making, costume/prop design and construction, make-up and even cake decorating.


Art supplies were always available thanks to a very accomplished artist grandmother and some of her earliest pre-school works are still in her portfolio thanks to her mother. Shannon's tenth year was spent drawing nothing but horses. Costume and character creation was a major interest with multiple costume wins under her belt starting in primary school.





Fine art was a passion throughout her early years but being a pragmatic type, Shannon pursued a formal education and career in administration and volunteer management. But she did not stop taking art classes in various mediums and never stopped creating.


In 2018 Shannon returned to school full-time to work towards the formal Fine Arts education she didn't pursue in her youth and is reveling in the process. She graduated with an Advanced Diploma, with Honours, in Fine Art from Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario, and in 2022 she started work on her MA Fine Art at the University of Plymouth in England.


When not busy making art, Shannon spends time baking, gardening, walking the dog and taking commissions to produce everything from pet portraits to dragon costumes.



Shannon Fennell, Make-Up Artist





Shannon was a professional Make-Up Artist for 25 years, specializing in theatre, special effects and face/body painting. She has a Diploma in Make-Up Artistry from the Blanche Macdonald Institute in Vancouver, BC and has also trained in Hollywood and Europe.


Shannon has been profiled many times regarding her make-up art in the press and was the subject of two different television shows featuring local artists. She has also been interviewed live on-air by BBC Devon in the UK and on Q99 in Grande Prairie, AB. She has been featured/or contributed to FACE to FACE Magazine, Art of the Peace Magazine, Face and Body Art Magazine, Illusion Magazine and Face Painting International Magazine.


She is a sought after instructor and author in the specialty of face painting. Her book "Your Face or Mine: A Step-by-step Guide to Basic Face Painting Techniques" was published by Snazaroo USA Inc. in 2007. Shannon's e-book "The Business of Face Painting" was released in 2009.





In 2007 Shannon designed and body painted UK based Blues/Roots artist Bex Marshall for the cover of her 2008 album, "Kitchen Table."


Shannon designed and produced the make-up for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2010 Arctic Winter Games, which included creating artwork that was reproduced as temporary tattoos used throughout the games.


She has been the lead/key make-up artist on well over 100 theatrical productions - from one person shows to large scale musicals such as Les Miserables. Shannon is active on-stage as well, having played various roles (usually stereotyped as a cranky female of a certain age - like the Queen of Hearts or pantomime Fairy Godmothers) and is an avid participant in theatre sports/improv comedy.


In March 2020, Shannon decided to "retire" from offering personal make-up services, but is still available for instruction/workshops, design and consultation for theatrical and costume events and related projects.




Exhibitions, Shows and Awards





Exhibitions and Shows


2023 How did that happen? First Year MA Show, University of Plymouth, UK

2021 Virtual Graduate Show, Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, ON

2021 Annual All-Student Juried Art Exhibit, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON

2021 Dream Logic: 28th Annual Juried Exhibition, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON

2019 Durham College, 360insights Entrepreneurship Centre, Oshawa, ON

2019 Durham College, Fine Art Showcase, Oshawa, ON

2019 Annual All-Student Juried Art Exhibit, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON

2019 Durham College, Site Specific Art, Oshawa, ON

2019 Durham College, Fine Art Showcase, Oshawa, ON

2018 Annual All-Student Juried Art Exhibit, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON

2017 Instructor & Student Show, Centre for Creative Arts, Grande Prairie, AB

2016 20th Anniversary Show, Centre for Creative Arts, Grande Prairie, AB

2014 Wearable Art Show, Centre for Creative Arts, Grande Prairie, AB

2014 The Amber Ball for the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, Grande Prairie, AB

2013 Wearable Art Show, Centre for Creative Arts, Grande Prairie, AB

2011 Wearable Art Show, Centre for Creative Arts, Grande Prairie, AB





Awards


2020 Durham College In-Course Scholarship for Academic Excellence: Fine Arts -Advanced

2019 Durham College All-Student Juried Art Show, Whitby, ON - Mixed Media Prize

2014 Grande Prairie Live Theatre - Jenny Tetreau Award for Outstanding Long Term Service

2007 US Body Painting Festival, Albuquerque, NM - Second Place Sponge and Brush

2007 UK Face & Body Painting Convention, Bristol, UK - Best Costume

2006 Advanced Face Painter - Level 2, FACE The Face Painting Association, UK

2006 Fantasy Worldwide Facepainting Competition, Putte, Belgium - First Place

2005 UK Face & Body Painting Convention, Telford, UK - International Face Painter of the Year

2005 Snazaroo USA Inc./Snazaroo.com - Top Face Painter in North America

2002-2009 over 70 awards from Snazaroo USA and other organizations for Face Painting

1980 Grand Salon du Culinaire, Washington State Chef's Association - Gold Medal in Gateau





plymouth, england, united kingdom



Shannon Fennell Artist