By M.Sebastian Araujo

Sometimes one finds an Artist so Genuine and True it astounds my jaded senses. Performance Art,Fine Art and Life as Art all blend seamlessly into the Work and Creations of Shane Adams. Truly one of the Gems in the Art World of Provincetown. Recently I had a chance to have a chat with this truly gifted Artist about what makes Art…

 What in the World or your Like affects your Creativity?
I am inspired by so many things: it can be weeds in the yard or a famous artist of the past; people that I meet; feelings that I’m having.  I’m inspired by everything around me really…and especially drawn to art/artists whose work I interpret as « controlled chaos ».  In other words, being able to tap into your inner child and create without boundaries or boxes; producing things that the observer may not get or understand when the art is finished.

 What changes do you see in the ART scene today…?
Technology and social media have created a world where pretty much anyone with an iPhone can create art – the ability to see others art and to create your own is more accessible than ever before.  And what used to be expensive to produce now can be produced in a matter of minutes.  People also share art and ideas on a global scale in a fast and furious way. This can be really amazing and inspiring to see what others are doing, but it also has an over saturated effect.

What makes people respond to what you do?
I think that depends on what type of pieces I’m creating. If I’m doing a walking installation such as “Shania,” then people are basically forced to respond because I don’t wait for them to visit her in a show / gallery.  She is pretty much in your face and the reactions are almost immediate. My last photography series, « Out The Window, » was created with a great deal of visceral emotion and that’s what I try to do with all my art – I try to evoke emotion of some sort whether it be positive or negative.

 Was there a  « shinning light bulb » moment in your life when you realized that you were an artist?
If so what was it?  What does that even mean anymore, calling yourself an artist?  I’m still not sure if I really consider myself an artist. I think the more art I create and show, and the more I let people know of the work, the more I start to believe it.  I just really love to create things and share them with others and hope that they love the end result as much as I do.  I think the more one creates and the bigger the body of work that is created over the years, the more others will refer to you “as artist,” because there are labels for everyone and that is one that fits closest to what I do – but even the terminology I tend to play with.

How hard is it for an creative chap to survive in the world we live in today?
This is a tough one. On the one hand I can interpret the question to be about the difficulty for a creative person to just « create » in the world we live in today. Everyone is an artist today; there is nothing that electronics can’t do and the access to such is available to all. Thus everyone can create, print, produce and then sell.  Sometimes this can be so overwhelming because that basic term we discussed before « art » has been homogenized by access and the simple fact that a million people are creating something. Now, whether they are doing it full time and trying to make a living at it is a different question.  It is my greatest challenge to just create for the purpose of creating.  For me, I cannot create with the intent of selling anything; the greatest gift is just to have it seen in a gallery.  I don’t expect to ever stop cleaning toilets to pay my bills and I don’t expect to ever stop creating.The other way I interpret the question is: How hard is it to keep your ability to feel and or create like a child?  Do you remember when you were a child and you had no real worries… just playing; all your life’s concerns were taken care of by the adults?  Now as the adult, I feel the world is insane and « life on life’s terms » can push down, « or out” the creative spirit that one has.  I often go through spells where I’m not inspired or don’t want to create because I’m too worried with how I’m going to pay bills or where I’m going to live in five years.  Then, as a result, I don’t spend money on art supplies and I just focus on working to make money.  It’s extremely challenging to keep that creativity balanced with the rest of life.  But when I feel like my world is in balance, then I try to tap back into that child-like state where I’m completely absorbed in my art like I was when I was a child.

 What is it about Ptown that keeps you and other creative people living there or coming back?
To me Provincetown is like the best buffet you have ever eaten at, it has a little bit of everything and its so delicious.  The light in the sky, the ocean and nature, the community…it just feels like home to me.

Art is Art is Art! The definitions are constantly changing. In Gay Olde Ptowne the definitions seem to ebb and flow and sometimes congeal to create a new idea, How lucky are we that people like Shania Leclaire Riviere keep pushing the boundaries of imagination  to make the world around them a delicious place to be! 

To See more of Shania Click Here:  http://www.shanialeclaireriviere.com/