Shannon Duncan on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Shannon Duncan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Starting to draw the coloring pages, based on neo-traditional tattoo flash, helped me reconnect with a part of myself I hadn’t realized I was missing. I’d been feeling disconnected from my creativity, and sketching those first lines reminded me why I fell in love with art in the first place. There’s something meditative about the process: the bold lines, the balance of detail and simplicity. Time fades when I’m sketching, and in that quiet space, I feel grounded. It brought me back to why I started making art in the first place.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, Unfinished by Duncan readers – I’m Shannon (she/her/hers).

At my core, I’ve always been someone who sees beauty in lines and shapes. I started Unfinished by Duncan as a space where art and emotion meet, where bold imagery and personal expression come together. My work pulls from the traditions of neo-traditional tattoo flash, but always with something a little more intimate layered in.

Lately, I’ve been creating pieces that feel more honest with who I am and the things that reflect parts of me people might not expect. Like the fact that I’m an avid reader, or that my home is slowly turning into a jungle from my ever-growing plant collection. Those quiet passions have started finding their way into my sketches through the details, the themes, even the mood of the work.

I’m excited to keep sharing more of that with the community – art that feels lived in, layered, and maybe a little unexpected.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
It’s hard to choose just one, but I’d say the relationship with my husband, Joshua (he/him/his), has been a huge part of how I’ve come to understand myself, not just as an artist, but as a human being. He’s been a constant reminder that I’m allowed to take up space, try new things, and evolve without having to justify it.

At the same time, the relationship I’ve built with myself has been just as important. Learning to trust my own instincts, be gentler with myself and my process, and show up for myself as a friend – not just a critic – has reshaped how I move through the world and through my art.

Those two relationships, one shared, one internal, are deeply connected. They’ve helped me come home to myself in ways I didn’t expect.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I used to believe that if something I created didn’t land perfectly, if it wasn’t received the way I hoped, or if it didn’t sell, or even if I just personally wasn’t happy with it, then I had failed. That it meant I wasn’t good enough or that I should shift direction entirely.

But after enough of those moments, I started to realize the failure wasn’t in the art – it was in how I was measuring it and myself. I’ve learned that not everything needs to “hit” to be meaningful. Sometimes, a piece is a stepping stone. Sometimes, it’s a necessary part of figuring out what does feel true.

Now, I try to let missteps be part of the process, not the end of it.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
For me, it’s about respecting people’s autonomy and humanity, especially when it comes to their bodies, identities, and lived experiences. I believe no one should have control or opinions over someone else’s body, and that we have a responsibility to protect and uplift marginalized communities such as women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and anyone who’s often pushed to the edges.

While my art isn’t always explicitly about these values, they’re something I try to stay mindful of in my everyday life. I’m always looking for ways to be a better ally, to listen more, speak up when it matters, and keep learning how to show up for others.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What light inside you have you been dimming?
For a long time, I think I dimmed the part of me that wanted to take up space, in the world, in my life, but especially creatively. I was so used to second-guessing my ideas or shrinking them down to make them more palatable, more “safe.”

But that quiet, intuitive part of me, the one that sees things a little differently, that wants to make art that’s personal and weird and layered, has always been there. I’m just now learning how to let that light show without editing it down.

It’s still a work in progress, but I’m getting more comfortable letting my work reflect who I really am, not just what I think people want to see.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://unfinishedbyduncan.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unfinishedbyduncan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnfinishedByDuncan?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: https://bsky.app/profile/unfinishedbyduncan.bsky.social