Shanan Galligan
With a family full of artists — mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, step-mom, uncle, and on — it should be no surprise to find me in graphic design today. I was born with a pencil in hand and sported better watercolors than any six year old should. But as I was heading out to college, each person in the family sat me down and told me that whatever I did, whatever my path, I should stay out of art.
I tried. I studied English, French lit and creative writing. I started bands, made noise, even tried a career in, egad, technical writing. But in the end, I came back to the family trade. I rediscovered how thrilling it can be to turn an abstract idea into something you can touch. Where ideas meet words meet visual punch. Where I could devote a lifetime.
I find the greatest inspiration comes from working with other passionate, talented people. We exchange ideas, we challenge each other, and in the end come up with something none of us expected in the beginning.
I’m all for the joys of my small new family, noisy rock and jazz, campfires and back porch barbecues, travels, travails, and all of life’s little lessons.
- 03.15.10 | Babies! Babies!
- I wonder if having twins means always having to repeat yourself twice?
- 12.09.09 | Snow day
- Working from home today.
- 12.01.09 | Full Moon
- The moon over the office the other night made our block look a little like New Orleans.
- 11.21.09 | Bravery
- Some lessons in overcoming fear start at the top of the slide.
- 08.19.09 | O'Hare Rainbow
- Flying into O'Hare at sunset the day before yesterday, there was a full 360-degree circle rainbow in the clouds (left edge visible here). An amazing sight.
- 08.19.09 | Oscar Mayer Wienermobile
- In our family, Oscar Mayer Wienermobile sightings are seen as a harbinger of good luck.
- 08.19.09 | Nothing weathers like weather
- Side of a train down off West Washington.
- 04.17.09 | Power Line
- Test shot from the road in central Illinois.
- 02.10.09 | Heh
- Somebody left this in the snow this winter. Love it. It looked so lonely.
- 01.16.09 | First Christmas
- Buying a Christmas tree back before the holidays. Everything’s more fun this year.