Shadawn R. Farmer is a African-American artist from Wilson, North Carolina, whose works showcase the dynamic nature of reality. A goal in all of her artwork is to capture the whimsical beauty of the world, while leaving space for symbols of pain and struggle. Aiming to capture narratives in a new light, Shadawn doesn’t paint exactly what she sees. Instead, she reinterprets dark subject matter or originally dull scenery using a vibrant color palette.

 

Beginning her career as an artist out of a time of despair helped her to create not only a lifeline for herself, but to also offer one for others.​​ Shadawn hopes to convey unspoken narratives and underrepresented spaces but most importantly, to relate to those from underrepresented spaces with unspoken stories of their very own. At the core of her work, she also draws inspiration from the stories of her lineage and feels personally called to do the work of conveying the stories about those who came before her.

 

Shadawn is a listed artist for the Wayne Art Council in Goldsboro, NC’s artist directory. She has also landed opportunities such as  African American Atelier's Digital Residency program for 2026 as well as the NC Climate Justice’s “TapRoot” Residency in 2025. She also expands her talent towards film, more specifically acting, as she has landed a lead role for an upcoming short titled, Saints Don’t Seek Justice, directed by Daniel “dale” Ward, She is also a supporting actress on with a film project titled Fate's Gamble, also directed by Ward.

 

Shadawn graduated from Wayne Community College in December 2024 with an Associate’s of Arts degree. She continues to strive for her goal in achieving a BFA degree to further expand her knowledge of different mediums. 

 

Within every medium she uses, she hopes to convey a story/narrative that is compelling, raw with emotion, and visually stunning. From her work we can learn that stars can still shine in dark spaces and times.