Promise Alumni- Shaquona Espinoza
Promise Alumna Shaquona Espinoza is a 2015 graduate of Loy Norrix High School and 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University.
It has been said that creativity takes courage. This is certainly a fact for Promise Alumna, Shaquona Espinoza, and her path to becoming an artist.
Shaquona is a 2015 graduate of Loy Norrix High School and 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Art. From her first moments stepping foot into a KPS classroom, it was clear that Shaquona was destined to create.
“Art was a part of my journey early on,” said Espinoza. “I think the first time I remember drawing was when I was seven years old. In elementary school, one of my pieces got chosen to be displayed at Bronson Hospital.”
Shaquona’s passion for art only grew throughout her time in Kalamazoo Public Schools. It was during her high school years where she began to seek mentorship to help her along her artistic path.
“I remember that I was accepted into the AP art class, taught by Ms. Vanlieu, my senior year of high school,” she shared. “Her support and throughout my time at Norrix was everything. Looking back, I realize that she saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.”
Shaquona would graduate from Loy Norrix in 2015. Eligible for 100% of The Promise, Shaquona decided to utilize her scholarship at Western Michigan University.
“I honestly was not sure what I wanted to study so I originally went in undecided. Eventually I found that I really liked social work and later decided to minor in art.”
For Shaquona, attending Western allowed her to remain close to family while also expanding her network of creative peers and mentors.
“I knew I wanted to stay close to home and during my time at WMU, I was connected with individuals that I could learn from and that could challenge me to look at my artwork differently. Being around other creators allowed me to constantly be inspired.”
Shaquona’s artwork on display at The Handmade Boutique, home to BeadVenture.
After completing her degree in December of 2020, Shaquona set her eyes on the first step into her career. Graduating in the midst of a global pandemic had its challenges, but Shaquona leaned into her passion and love for art to pull her through it.
“To get through those times, I relied heavily on my artwork to help sustain me. I started doing commissions and mainly focused on creating.”
In addition to the commission pieces, Espinoza began selling her artwork through her website and at The Handmade Boutique, a physical storefront that’s home to BeadVenture, a nonprofit program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.
"BeadVenture has been around since 2003, but The Handmade Boutique opened in June of 2021. We are a collection of local artists and vendors mainly focused on visual arts.”
Painting, photography, printmaking, and charcoal/pencil drawings are just some of the pillars that have made up Shaquona’s portfolio over the years, but her current focus specializes in acrylic on canvas paintings.
A painting of hip-hop artist, Biggie Smalls, painted by Shaquona.
“I started painting three years ago. At first, I focused on the beauty of nature. Then, I wanted to challenge myself to paint faces. I tend to paint people that I like, and that other people like too. Most of my paintings, if not all of them, are based on photos that I took or that my friends have shared with me.”
Shaquona’s paintings have been featured in some notable spaces, including Elements, the WMU Office for Sustainability, the Epic Center, the Black Arts and Cultural Center, KVCC’s Center for New Media, Channel 8 News, Public Media Network, Kalamazoo Defender, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and the Stamped Robin- curated by Soul Artistry LLC.
But for Shaquona, the creative journey is the ultimate reward.
“There are times where I paint throughout the entire day to stay in that creative flow. There are also times where it is hard to find the space to create, and I have to step away. But that allows me to come back and find that flow once more."
Shaquona’s work embodies the confidence and poise that art has helped her cultivate throughout the years. However, it hasn’t always been easy to show vulnerability in this space.
It’s important to Shaquona that her artwork goes beyond evoking emotion. For her, its about ensuring there’s a lasting effect on her audience that inspires change.
A painting of Kobe & Gianna Bryant, painted by Shaquona.
“I want my art to mean something deeper than just making people feel good. I want to challenge their mindset when they look at my work. That’s something that I’m thinking about as I move forward.”
Shaquona is interested in the continuation of exploring how she can use her personal experiences with and love for art to give back to the next generation.
For the next generation of Promise Scholars pursuing their path, Shaquona has the following advice:
“Keep believing in yourself. If you have something in your heart and it resonates with what you want, then you should keep pursuing it. Listen with discernment and surround yourself with people that believe in you too.”
She also emphasized the importance of taking everything one moment at a time.
“I don’t think that we always need to know what we are going to do in the long run. We need to focus on what makes us happy in the moment.”
To get connected with Shaquona and stay up-to-date with her work, you can follow her on Instagram (@quonaesp_art), or browse her collection of art on her website: https://shaquonaespinoza.bigcartel.com.
A painting of Michael Jackson, painted by Shaquona.
A painting of hip-hop artist, Snoop Dogg, painted by Shaquona.
