Point Loma Nazarene University produces alumni who go on to be amazing things — doctors, nurses, famous directors and great writers. Shannon Daum graduated in 1995 from the studio arts program. Now, as a mother of two, a flight attendant and a local artist living in Santee, Calif., she looked back at her time at PLNU.
Daum’s art is ocean-centric, filled with surfing scenes, mermaid characters and vibrant colors. She creates captivating underwater wonderlands, drawing inspiration from her travels as a flight attendant. The beaches she’s visited and lived by during her time at PLNU are infused in her work to create her colorful ocean scenes.
“I know that being on the ocean influenced my passions for surfing and inspired the subject matter of my paintings and work,” Daum said in an email interview.
Her art, while mainly composed of ocean scenes, also has heavy spiritual undertones. As a Christian, Daum said she tries to include her faith in her work in any way she can. Whether it’s including crosses or Bible verses in her pieces, or focusing on spiritual symbols, many subtleties within her work point to her relationship with God.
“God and his creation are unlimited inspiration,” Daum said.
Daum said that she likes to use her inspiration from God to get her ideas onto the page and shape her art.
Daum isn’t the only Sea Lion — former or current — who uses her faith as inspiration for her work. Mabry Cole, a second-year graphic design major, also tries her best to include Christ in her work.
“I take inspiration from everything he’s created, so in a way, my artwork is his,” Cole said.
Cole also said that while it isn’t always the first thing she thinks of, her art often reflects Christ and his creation, as a result of her relationship with him.
One of Daum’s now-retired professors from PLNU, Karen Sangren, said that Daum’s love for surfing translated into her tropical and colorful art pieces when she was a student and that she still sees those themes now.
“It has been fun to go back in time and indeed remember Shannon as a student in the Art and Design Department, Sangren said in an email interview. “Her warm heart was always evident in her smiles.”
Daum encouraged PLNU students who are studying the arts to live their dreams like she does today.
“Make as much art as you can now,” she said. “Take advantage of the studio spaces and opportunities. Work without inhibition or judgement on yourselves. Explore different mediums. Take advice from your professors. And don’t ditch for a surf sesh.”
You can find more of her art and hear more about her story at Shannon-surf.com.
