Shannon Becker

Biography: Shannon has been painting and designing for over 16 years including theatre, opera, fine art (oil abstractions), commercial murals and signage and residential specialty interiors. She has worked on numerous productions for the Children's Theatre of Madison, Summer Drama School, The Madison Repertory Theatre, Savoyards, Mercury Players Theatre and The Madison Opera. She has also been the Production Manager and Props Master for CTM, a makeup artist for the Madison Opera, and the Manager and Bookkeeper for Burnie's Rock Shop in Madison. Her other talents include jewelry design, metalsmithing, color consulting and Feng Shui.

Shannon and Alicia Rheal joined talents and backgrounds, as the 'Painted Ladies", from March of 2006 thru August of 2007 to venture from theatre and into the business/commercial world. We have had an enormous amount of support and luck and can't believe most days that we live as full time artists painting murals that add beauty, color and joy into peoples' lives. Together we have designed and painted numerous murals and faux finishes for Epic in Verona, designed and painted a large mural for the newly "green" built Cross Plains Library, designed and painted Circus themed furniture for Epic and are in the midst of painting our design for a Subway Car/Platform Station themed hallway for Epic. Our next project after the Wittenberg grocery store mural "The Big Picture", is to replicate Grand Central Station at Epic through our design including painting a lot of faux marble and of course, more murals.

We are incredibly pleased to be a part of the Walls of Wittenberg and appreciate the sincere hospitality, generosity and kindness of the people of this aspiring town. Many thanks to the WOW Committee, Lois Smith, Andrea and Jerry Nelson, Susan Hanson, Bonnie Bell and the talented students who helped us create such a fun and lively mural.

Artist Statement: I realized at a very young age that I was artistic by this quote, "Shannon could find beauty in a garbage dump!" I obsessively drew swans and painted "large scale" objects on my bedroom walls. I was self taught until attending college in my hometown of Madison and in 1995 was lured into theatre and scenic painting. On my first production I knew I was hooked. The huge sets, the costumes, the music, the lights and the messy and fun painting techniques, I just couldn't resist. I love the using strong and bold colors and letting the paint "do its' own thing." I know I am just another tool that applies the paint and I find the art of painting almost meditative. I am always amazed with how I need to paint and how much the paint teaches me what it is capable of doing. I am in the process of focusing my abilities into designing, color consulting and feng shui consulting, but I will never give up my title as a Painted Lady.