Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Shamoon.
Hi Lina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I was a little kid, I have been interested in art. I drew, painted, and decorated as much as I could, and I continued to do so in my adult life as well. In school, I was one of those students who would change her major every two months and take all her elective classes in art. When I started working, I tried out different jobs, from working as a caddie at a golf course working in fast food spots/retail, working as a legal assistant and a notary public, and then working as a programmer for a corporate office. All of these jobs made me kind of miserable, and I started to realize that what I did for work had to be something that would make me happy – that something was art.
Art was what I did when I couldn’t be at work due to injuries, or what my friends and I used to do when we hung out, or what I just ended up doing when I had some free time. I even took commissions during those times, which made me realize that I could maybe one day do this full-time, but that was just a dream at that time. On March 15, 2020, I quit my programming job and decided to just go for it and make my dream of being an artist happen. That date also happened to be the day the pandemic lockdown started.
Throughout the pandemic, I experimented with art, trying to figure out my true style. I painted, worked with resin, clay, foam, and so much more until one day, I made a mirror and realized that mirrors could be my thing. So, I started experimenting with mirrors until one day, I made a Disco Mirror. Looking into a Disco Mirror gives you a different feeling than looking into any other mirror. The reflections of the light from the pieces surrounding the mirrors scatter across a space, adding movement and color to the surroundings, giving you a feeling of happiness and excitement, which I really loved and wanted to share with the world. I started sharing my work on Instagram, and my career as an artist took off.
Now, I have made and sold over 1,200 pieces through my website which range from mirrors to sculptures to custom disco balls and can say that I am a full-time artist who loves what she does.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey of getting where I am today has definitely not been a smooth road. Being an artist is pretty much like being a business owner, which can be hard. You have to communicate with clients, create content, sell your art, take photos, sometimes deal with damages, manage finances and inventory, work long hours, etc. You even have put your personal life aside sometimes to meet deadlines and get projects done on time. At first, my social life was barely existent, and I rarely focused on my physical or mental health as much as I used to, but eventually, I found some balance. Overall, I would say that all the work was worth it, and I am really proud of what I have accomplished.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I mostly design and make mirrors, but I also create sculptures and custom disco balls. I mostly make my pieces using sculpted foam, clay, and resin and cover them mirror tiles. Although I am proud of so many of the projects I have created, I would say that the most thing I am proud of right now is the shark at the Yuma tent at Coachella, which is a permanent installation, and I am so honored that I got to create it. Creating sculptures and mirrors like these is truly what I love to do, and am really determined to do it as flawlessly as possible and to the best of my ability. This is my specialty, which is what I think sets me apart from others.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I feel very lucky to be able to do what I do. I wake up every day and make art! I get to live in beautiful San Diego, and I have the most supportive and loving friends and family who are always there for me when I need them. Getting to this point in my life was the result of a lot of hard work, but I’m 100% sure there was some luck involved as well.
Pricing:
- Pieces on my website range from $150-$5000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.linashamoon.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mirrorsbylina
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linashamoon/
- Other: tiktok.com/mirrorsbylina
Image Credits
Sasha Bikoff
Sugarfina
