Meet Essie Shaw & CJ Anderson

If you know Obtained Magnificence, you know that our northwest feature window is extremely shut to our heart. Far more than just visible merchandising, we view our shop window as our opportunity to outwardly represent Obtained Beauty’s personality, core values, and unequivocal enjoy and assist for our local community. For our summer months 2022 show we have teamed up with area artists, activists  and creative geniuses, Essie Shaw and CJ Anderson and we’re bursting with delight over it!

Developed to rejoice our pretty most loved thirty day period of the yr – Pride Month, they have created an entryway straight out of a rainbow-coloured butterfly aspiration. The duo was kind plenty of to fulfill us at the Obtained Elegance headquarters and chat about the approach. 

Obtained Splendor: June is arms down our beloved month at Got Attractiveness mainly because it is Pride – an opportunity to exhibit our local community our love and guidance of equality for all. We are critically so excited to collaborate with you both on this challenge! Tell us, what does Pride month indicate to you?

ES: Delight month in Utah is about neighborhood and producing safe and sound areas for marginalized people that really do not constantly feel like they can exist as their real selves in their day to day daily life. Folks that really do not are living right here are constantly so shocked when I chat to them about the SLC delight celebrations. In this kind of a conservative state and metropolis they do not anticipate there to be such a big LGBTQ+ presence. We have a quite vibrant and happy queer group in this article. I show up for satisfaction each calendar year simply because I come to feel it’s so significant for other people that look like me, in particular young people that are in a room of exploration to know that currently being queer can glance a ton of unique approaches. You are valid and there is no ideal or wrong way to celebrate pride. At the close of the day it is about self-affirmation, and coming together with other individuals that will acknowledge you for who you are.

CJ Anderson: Delight month is a time of self-expression and like! To me, I’m reminded of how vital it is to love and acknowledge one particular one more. 

GB: Getting a female-owned and operated small business, we are always here to celebrate our fellow boss babes and business people. Can you convey to us a little bit about your entrepreneurial get the job done in the arts?

ES: My art is loud and massive, unapologetic and unrefined. I build, to acquire up house, and stand for many others like me. I consider that art is extra than a resourceful outlet. It is a variety of activism. Staying an artist is a software. I method artwork as a way to visually convey to a story. If I can triumph in capturing your notice, my hope is that it will bring about you to quit and assume, then understand and do.

CA: Sweet Jade is all matters fashion, staging, and style and design. Anything from photoshoot staging, wardrobe consulting, visible art displays, are living present choreography, and far more! If it involves a visible eye to make all the things appear collectively and search cohesive and exciting, I’m on it! 

GB: You two are rather the dynamic duo! How did you fulfill?

ES: Cj and I satisfied a couple of decades ago at a retail store that we worked at and she was my supervisor! We became pals and even however we no extended do the job together at Blue, we collaborate typically due to the fact we make a great staff. 

CA: We achieved at a former location of work where I was Essie’s manager. The initial time I spoke to her was in an interview for the work. I bear in mind considering ” This female is a powerhouse, she’s in this environment to make a variation. What is she carrying out interviewing for retail? She must be renowned.” I’m so happy I acquired to perform so closely with her. It qualified prospects to a wonderful friendship and terrific partnership in our art. 

GB: Did you mature up training art?

ES: When I was a child I was often experimenting and I experienced a ton of pleasurable building artwork out of founding items. I begun producing with much more intention in high faculty. Creating artwork was a interest for me for a prolonged time, but I didn’t take into consideration myself an artist or believe I could make it a career until the previous few yrs. Imposter syndrome probably experienced a ton to do with that. Now, on the lookout again I recognize that currently being an artist has always been component of my identity. 

CA: As a kid, I usually experimented with to locate unique forms of artwork to finest allow my creativity out. Drawing, producing, tunes… Nothing at all caught until finally I discovered interior structure. That’s when I recognized I had a enthusiasm for visible exhibit and staging. 

GB: What are your preferred mediums?

ES: Most of the parts I develop are acrylic on canvas with 3D features integrated into every painting. I really like performing with silk flowers and other resources like moss, stones, wood, fabric, and paper.

CA: I like to refer to myself as a “Interest Hopper”. I try distinctive kinds of mediums normally, just to knowledge new items. I adore to get crafty and build artwork with my hands. But so significantly, my favourite would seem to be setting up scenes for image shoots. Every little thing from finding a area, selecting and arranging props and wardrobe, and choreographing the shots and poses with the photographer/products. Can you classify that as a medium? I would like to assume so. 

GB: What can we catch you performing when you are absent from your artistry?

ES: I really like reading, crafting, camping, and remaining outside. Suitable now I’m getting enjoyment understanding how to perform all over again. I lately acquired roller skates. I cherished skating when I was a kid, and re-finding out it has been a enjoyment way to de-tension from adulting.

CA: I normally seem to have a property renovation venture or prepare to redecorate some thing, which retains me really fast paced. I also adore the outdoor: climbing, kayaking, and using my 2 pet dogs up to the mountain trails. Utah is the Greatest for discovering. 

GB: Do you have a beloved challenge or collection that you’ve labored on?

ES: I’m truly very pleased of the artwork exhibits I’ve curated. The most recent exhibit was “The Beat of Our Blood” which was an exhibit showcasing only BIPOC artists. I designed a mixed media painting for the display titled “She Becomes”. The subject of the painting is a panther woman and it’s my existing most loved.

CA: The Received Splendor Summer time Satisfaction window is my new favored! It was so enjoyable to collaborate with Essie and the remarkable females of Acquired Attractiveness to develop anything with so significantly indicating and function, but that’s also just so quite to glance at. Like is really like! 

GB: So, what is up coming for each individual of you?

ES: I am at the moment functioning on a solo show titled “The fire in her eyes.” This show as a full is meant to be a commentary about the ways in which colorism, texturism, and internalized racism in the black neighborhood have been seriously motivated by Eurocentric requirements of splendor. Some items will be visible translations of my lived experiences as a Black girl in the United States. Other pieces will highlight the strength, and sensuality of the black woman sort even though discovering themes of sexuality, gender expression, and self-acceptance. The present is tentatively established for November 2022. 

CA: I’m dying to go larger and bolder with image shoot staging! I have so a lot of suggestions in my head of what I would really like to do. Elopement shoots, stylized bridal, lifestyle shots… And finally, the dream is to generate visual works of artwork for organizations to use in shows and marketing. Thank you, Got Splendor, for bringing me nearer to that aspiration! 

To Essie and CJ: We thank you for having the time to communicate with us and lose some mild on the love and vision that our local community has to provide. Our entire world is far more stunning mainly because of each individual of you. We simply cannot wait to see your forthcoming artwork!

Stop by us in-retailer at 900 E. 2100 S. in Salt Lake City to perspective our 2022 Satisfaction display.