Connecting Through A Weird Piece Of Art, with Shannon Johnston

Connect Mobilize Deliver

Visual artist and exceptional leader, Shannon Johnston, tells me the story of how she turned her vision to help the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan into a reality. She explains how The Scarf Project she and many others created went on to connect and provide comfort to those hurting from many other disasters since then.

The actual scarf created through The Scarf Project lives on today and continues to support and inspire people around the globe.

Today's Guest

Shannon Johnston

In addition to being an artist, Shannon Johnston identifies as a daughter, sister, friend, introvert, teacher, student, feminist, collector, maker, consumer, and nail-biter. All of this informs her creative practice.
It is engagement within and reflection upon community, both large and small, that ground Johnston’s practice. Repetition, generosity, and regeneration drive her making. Collection that borders compulsion builds her palette and ritual forms her process.

Shannon holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from Wichita State University. She currently lives in Wichita, KS with her husband where she is Assistant Professor of Art and Director of Steckline Gallery at Newman University.

You'll Learn

• The story of how Shannon connected and mobilized people from very different walks of life around the globe to turn The Scarf Project from idea to reality
• How to meet people where they are and enable them to give out of what they have to thrive as a part of a team
• How to deliver results with people even when you aren't the same and don't agree on everything
• Art exists in many different forms all around us. Whether we recognize it or not.

3 Fundamental Career Skills from Today's Guest

1. Practice repetitive acts

Do something over and over again to build confidence, create focus, and keep yourself centered.
Once you can do a small thing repetitively through practice, you're equipped to do another new thing.
You prove that you can learn to learn.

2. Create buy-in

Creating buy-in is all about knowing your audience. Then knowing how to message your self, your product, or your passion for your audience is how you can create buy-in.

3. Know when to let go

Recognize when the project, or whatever you're working on, needs you to take a step back.
Get buy-in and put your team in positions where they can thrive. Then, relax knowing the project will work out fine.

Links and Resources from this Episode

Shannon Johnston's website (with more photos from The Scarf Project).

Shannon is @Shannie2345 on Instagram.

Shannon Johnston on LinkedIn.
For More Information
Check out the full show notes on the episode page at GregHarrod.com.