BIO | AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY | COACHING | ART }
- Life Coach
- Pastor’s Wife
- Cartoonist
- Illustrator / Artist
- Graphic Recorder
- Graphic Designer
- WordPress
- Author
- Speaker
- Facilitator
- Nonprofit Leader
Not necessarily in order, these descriptions are woven throughout the fabric of my life.
NONPROFIT
"A shared journey is more than surviving ... it's thriving" Encouraging heart-centered individuals to heal from unrecognized trauma.
Shared journeys are the best!
After spending well over thirty years working with clergy, visionaries, authors, speakers, and entrepreneurs, I’ve learned that NO ONE is exempt from various highs and lows. Walking together in our shared journeys allows a special kind of synergy to present itself, creatively, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. All of these things contribute to our success in relationships or in business.
My personal journey has been one of trying to fit my colorful and creative self into a black-and-white framework for people to understand in simple terms and at a glance. “Are you a cartoonist or a pastor?” “Are you an artist or a web designer?” “What is a graphic recorder?” “Wait, you do desktop publishing too?” “Do you do bookkeeping and spreadsheets?” (no, I don’t)
In trying to explain to people who needed and wanted to put me in their address book under a simple term, it just wasn’t happening. So, to solve the problem, I created a website for each service and talent that I had so that this was explained more easily – or so I thought.
What happened is that having so many websites wasn’t clarifying, it was confusing.
I cringed under the weight of this well-known quote …
“A jack of all trades is a master of none …”
I was ashamed of being “scattered”, “unfocused”, and “spread too thin”. Worse than that, my joy was being stolen because I continued to try to define myself by other people’s understandings and opinions of who I should be – rather than teaching them who I was.
Wouldn’t you know it? There’s more to that offending quote! It is this …
“… but oftentimes better than a master of one”
A voracious reader, I had the pleasure of encountering two books that literally changed my life. “Start with WHY” by Simon Sinek, and “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown.
Because of the information highlighted in these two books, I and my business made a 180 degree turn around. The problem was that I was trying to “explain myself” by HOW I do things, rather than WHY I do them.
The next thing to address was to cut off anything that was not essential to my business and life.
As I did that, all the pieces started to fit and the colorful journey I’d taken during my lifetime with all of its heart-stopping ups and downs … became a journey of gratitude for the massive amount of insights and knowledge I’d gained along the way. I no longer apologize for who I am or what journey I have behind me. Neither should you!
A picture is worth a thousand words and many pictures tell the tale.
WHAT STORY OR MESSAGE ARE YOU COMMUNICATING THAT ISN’T UNDERSTOOD, OR WORSE YET, IS TAKING YOU OFF COURSE?
Each one of my clients is an inspiration in so many ways. Each vision, whether a book, a website, a speech or a business expresses a heartfelt message to the rest of us.
Being a Creative Coach and service provider has equipped me to understand many facets of those journeys and to help in many ways. Most of all, to help understand WHY you do what you do so that you can provide HOW in ways that will resonate with your life and purpose.
Pause a moment to reflect on your own journey with all the twists, turns and backtracking that you walked through.
Creative Journeys are Colorful, Inspiring, Rewarding, and Educational
The following snapshot is of the services I’ve provided as well as a few testimonials from some of my favorite clients.
Coaching sessions can be in person, over Skype, or by phone. Life coaching is the key ingredient and supports creative coaching for your project.
(Graphic recording during a session is available by request.)
- Illustrations
- Cartoons
- Graphic recording
For interior book illustrations, posters, meetings, or events. Artwork illustrations in multiple forms to illustrate you!
WordPress websites beginning with simple to more complicated sites, grow with you and your business.
Training is available to maintain your own site, or retainers to keep your site current.
Newsletters, brochures, marketing materials including business cards, banners, or book layout and design is available.
Ongoing administrative and virtual support is also available by retainer or project.
COACHING
Every project is unique and deserves a unique approach and strategy to make it successful for each client. Its vital that you recognize your potential, your message, and embrace your expertise.
Coaching helps you to do that while you develop your strategy, business, and marketing in such a way that it matches your lifestyle, passion, and goals.
What coaching with Shannon has given me:
“So much re-discovery about standing in my inherent power and talents …reclaiming all that I know. She’s a very deep listener. Shannon recognized the common threads in all of my words, reflected it all back to me clearly in a way I could grasp., gave me loving support—very cool, pointing to so much!”
“I’m so psyched about our recent meeting! How you were able to see things I have never looked at AND illustrate them during our sessions has lifted a huge load and made simple something I thought was too complicated for me to figure out. Now I feel like I can do anything!”
ILLUSTRATIONS, CARTOONS, GRAPHIC RECORDING
Pen & ink illustrations, stippling (above), humorous illustrations. Pencil, colored pencil, digitally colored illustrations.
Cartoons in black and white, grayscale, or full color for your needs.
Graphic recording during your event, meeting, brainstorming or while coaching, provides a visual illustration of your message and expertise.
TESTIMONIALS
Marilyn Van Debur, Author, Speaker "Miss America by Day"
Dear Shannon,
What a gift you are to my life. I have depended on you so much over the years. You have always responded immediately and helped me generously and graciously. You take my problems and work on them until they are solved. Your persistence and availability are treasures to me.
What is so important to me is that I literally trust you with my life. All of my passwords.
Having you in my life brings me so much peace.
Blessings
Marilyn Van Derbur Atler
Ward Lucas,Author
For anyone wanting to create or improve their website, my highest recommendations go to Shannon Parish of “Illustrating You” in Denver, Colorado. She is a dream to work with and is one of the most imaginative and creative people I’ve met.
Shannon has an outstanding sense of humor that fits perfectly with her cartooning ability. I know she has created many websites for fellow authors, but she really worked overboard and overtime for the launch of my new book “Neighbors At War!” A good website is critical to a successful business venture.
I’m very fortunate to have met Shannon and I’ve enjoyed all of her innovations. As they say, “hire the best.” And as far as I’m concerned, she is the best.
Ward Lucas
CREATIVE VIRTUAL OFFICE
My entrepreneurial journey began with providing administrative and desktop publishing services beginning with the needs of an active church setting.
Later, I had the pleasure of networking with speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs and was able to continue on with what I enjoyed creating for others while providing a living.
No, I don’t do everything myself anymore. I can – and did, but it would be foolish to continue being scattered so thin. (been there, done that) Now I provide services for a few select clients personally and network with other service providers and work-at-home professionals to help meet your needs.