Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Shackelford.
Hi Anne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Creativity has always been part of my life, but my path as an artist evolved gradually through years of exploring yoga, meditation, sound, and personal growth alongside my creative work. Those experiences continue to influence the way I see the world and the way I create.
What began as a personal exploration grew into a body of work centered around nature, transformation, and the relationship between our inner and outer environments. Using wood, fire, resin, metal leaf, and other natural materials, I create pieces that reveal themselves over time and invite a deeper sense of presence within a space.
Today my work lives in homes, studios, and intentional spaces across the country, connecting with people who care as much about how a space feels as how it looks.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Life presents challenges for all of us, and every season brings its own set of struggles. Art has been one of the constants that has helped me move through them.
Creating gives me a way to process experiences, find perspective, and transform what I’m living through into something meaningful. Many of the lessons, growth, and resilience I’ve gained along the way naturally find their way into the work.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I create original mixed media artwork using wood, fire, resin, metal leaf, and other natural materials. My work explores themes of nature, transformation, and the relationship between our inner and outer environments. Every piece shifts with changing light, revealing different colors, reflections, and details throughout the day.
What I’m most proud of is creating work that people truly live with. My pieces are collected not just because of how they look, but because of how they make a space feel. Hearing from collectors months or years later that they are still discovering something new in a piece is incredibly meaningful to me.
Each piece is built by hand through many layers and responds to the natural character of the materials themselves. Rather than demanding attention, the work invites people to slow down, look closer, and develop a relationship with it over time.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is creating a life rooted in peace, joy, and harmony. I value time in nature, meaningful relationships, quiet moments, and spaces that feel safe and grounded. I’ve learned that happiness is often found in the simple things: time with family and friends, connection with my dogs, meaningful work, and the ability to slow down and be present.
Those values influence not only how I live, but also how I create. My artwork is an extension of what I want to experience more of in the world: beauty, connection, balance, and a sense of coming home to yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chrysalisaustin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrysalisaustin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrysalisAustinArt/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrysalisaustin
