How Shana Covington Goodwin Finds Healing and Freedom Through her Art

Shana Covington Goodwin, also known by her creative name Shoshanah Rose, is a New York-based artist and proud mom of three. In this honest and inspiring interview, she shares her journey of rediscovering her passion for art after life threw her some big challenges.

Shana talks about what art means to her—freedom, self-expression, and a way to find joy in everyday beauty. She shares memories of her early love for drawing and how supportive parents and little moments, like her first box of crayons, helped spark her creativity.

She also opens up about the emotional stories behind her work, like a drawing of her late dog, Abigail, which became part of her healing and rebuilding process. Shana talks about struggles like imposter syndrome, and how she found the courage to proudly call herself an artist and pursue her dream.

I am a published NY artist and proud mother of three. I’m currently in a character arc of sorts. After being thrown some major curveballs in life, I am in the process of reclaiming and redefining my life and who I am. Part of that is re-embracing my passion and dream of being an artist. I create under the nom de plume Shoshanah Rose – a name that has special meaning to me. My work is based on my gratitude and appreciation for the beauty around me – be it a simple gesture, a striking feature or a sweet little songbird. Although I have some formal training, I’m giving myself space to relearn through self-study and experimentation. While I’m influenced by the Impressionists and Fauves, my mood and the subject matter determine the mediums and the way I choose to express with them.

1. How would you describe your art style and what inspired you to become an artist?

Art is one place in my life where I let myself be free. I can go against my nature. I don’t have to follow rules. So, I just sort of do whatever. I don’t worry about being consistent. I play around and experiment and do whatever I feel, however I feel. It lets me breathe. It’s not unusual for me to work on a few pieces at a time – a different theme and medium for each. If I don’t like it, no one has to see it. I can destroy it, repurpose it, paint over it, keep it and learn from it or laugh at it. My earliest memories of art started in kindergarten. I can still remember the smell of my first box of crayons. That is always a happy feeling – the newness of a fresh box of pencils, markers, paints, inks – all the possibilities. It’s awesome.

I love puzzles and figuring out how to draw something kinda goes along with it. I remember seeing a classmate drawing flowers and I wanted to do it. “How did she do that?!?” I found out she took art lessons. My teacher taught me how to break the image down into shapes. One of the many things I have taken from my parents was pouring into your child’s interests. You never know what will come of it. They got me art lessons. I loved it! I took every opportunity to learn after that: watching Bob Ross, art class in school, tracing and copying comic strips – whatever. I have three children. One loves music. One loves animals and science. One is an artist. I pour into those interests. It’s so cool to see what they’re doing with it. My dad is probably my biggest fan and collector of my work. Those lessons were worth it and I’ll be forever grateful for them.

My work is based on my gratitude and appreciation for the beauty around me – be it a simple gesture, a striking feature or a sweet little songbird.

Shana Covington Goodwin

2. Can you describe a memorable experience or project that significantly impacted your career?

I’m still wrapping my mind around the concept of this becoming a career. I’ve been creating for a long time, but this moment in time feels so new and uncharted. I will say, seeing my work in print for the first time made me feel like art being a career is a real possibility. The portrait of my dog that I mentioned before was submitted to a magazine on a whim. I was feeling sentimental and felt another pull to do it. Originally, I was looking for something to make me look more like a “serious artist”. (I was smarting from a previous rejection.) Hers was the one that was chosen. What a beautiful way to honor her life! Art really is subjective. I never would have guessed it would have been the one to be picked. It also gave me the courage to keep going and to make the art I want to make.

3. What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how did you overcome them? process like from start to finish?

Imposter Syndrome. I remember telling someone that I wanted to be an artist and she replied, “No. You ARE an artist!” I had to sit with that for a bit. And, then I thought, “Well, who gets to determine if I am one except me? So, I will start by just saying ‘I am an artist'”. So, I did and my greatest fear didn’t happen. Then, I started to think about what defines an artist for me. Turns out, it wasn’t necessarily all the things one would typically want. I just wanted to share the talent I’ve been blessed with and if I’m lucky, someone else would be touched by it – which is just sort of how I operate in life – to hopefully have a positive impact on someone’s life. I have certainly accomplished that a few times over in my art and hopefully in life. And, now I believe it. I’m an artist.

4. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your art journey?

Seeing my work in print for the first time was pretty amazing. Making my friend tear up at seeing how beautiful she is… very gratifying. Seeing what my hands are capable of… mind-blowing. Recapturing a part of myself that I loved… priceless.

Art is one place in my life where I let myself be free. I can go against my nature. I don’t have to follow rules.

Shana Covington Goodwin

5. Can you tell us about a particular piece of art that holds special meaning for you?

It’s a picture of my dog Abigail. She passed away many years ago. When I drew it, I was missing her a lot. I was also starting to process a lot of grief and loss that I was suffering at the time. I am a person of faith and felt like something was calling me to pick up my drawing tools again. I’m so glad I listened to that still, small voice. It was part of my healing, rebuilding and redefining. I had been drawing songbirds but wanted to draw something different. I saw the photo of her in my room and brought it over. Sometimes, the piece comes together so easily. Her passing was hard. All the memories came up and I think I poured it all into the drawing. So much love went into it. Each time I look at it, I see the love that she and I had for each other. It’s definitely a favorite.

Shana Covington Goodwin’s story is a testament to the transformative power of art. From the innocence of her first box of crayons to creating meaningful works that honor her memories and emotions, her journey reminds us that it’s never too late to reclaim your dreams. To learn more about Shana, visit the links below.