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Shannon Rios: Mixed-Media Artist Blends Structure and Emotion

artist · 2026-04-27

Shannon Rios, a mixed-media artist based in the United States, creates layered works combining graphite, spray paint, and oil. Her upbringing in a military family exposed her to diverse cultures, shaping her sensitivity to atmosphere and memory. She studied traditional oil painting in high school and earned Associate and Bachelor's degrees in fine art. Rios's practice emphasizes process over subject, using line, color, and form to evoke emotion. Her breakthrough painting "Deserts Through Many Windows" marked a shift toward geometric abstraction. Current series include "Red Lip Stick Attitude," exploring bold expression, and upcoming works featuring locomotives and bulls. She works from a structured studio schedule, often on multiple paintings simultaneously. Her influences include family, nature, and daily life.

Key facts

  • Shannon Rios works in mixed media: graphite, spray paint, and oil.
  • She studied traditional oil painting in high school and earned Associate and Bachelor's degrees in fine art.
  • Her breakthrough painting is 'Deserts Through Many Windows.'
  • Current series include 'Red Lip Stick Attitude.'
  • Upcoming works feature locomotives and bulls.
  • She maintains a structured studio schedule from morning to mid-afternoon.
  • Her influences include her daughter, husband, dogs, ocean, sunsets, and garden.
  • She began creating art at age fifteen but only recently fully embraced her identity as an artist.

Entities

Artists

  • Shannon Rios

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