Based in Savannah, GA, Shannon Snow is a beacon of cheeriness, vibrancy and positivity. Her art radiates joy and is bound to leave you grinning ear to ear. In this exclusive Q&A, Shannon discusses her work, her process and even offers inspirational advice about how to spark creativity and move through challenging times!
What inspired you to become an artist?
Well, like most artists, I've always had an affinity for making artwork since as long as I can remember. I grew up in rural Georgia, and there weren't many other kids around, so I was always encouraged to use my imagination. Being raised in an environment that encouraged creativity really fostered my love for art.
Which three words describe your design aesthetic?
Folky, fun, and free-spirited!
What inspires your work?
My art is inspired by folk art and informed by the color stylings of mid-century art, like Mary Blair. American Folk Art and Eastern European Folk Art are my two biggest influences. I love the naivety of an untrained hand, there is so much freedom in that. Not drawing how you see something with your eye, but how you see it in your soul.
When you have a creative block, what pulls you out of it?
Going for walks, cooking, playing with my daughters (although sometimes I just have to power through a block!). It's a good reminder that you don't always have to be on your A-Game, as long as you try.
What is your proudest moment as an artist?
I wouldn't say there's just one moment, but lots of little ones. I'm proud of the wonderful community that I've built on social media.
What's the most memorable party you've ever been to?
Once my friend hosted a science fair themed party where everyone made a silly science project and presented it. My husband and I decided to make a science project about the TV show Law & Order which required us to watch over 80 episodes so we could collect data on the types of perpetrators the episodes were centered around. We did not win.
What advice would you give to an aspiring creator?
Make art every day. It will change your life!
Is there a mantra that you follow when you work?
It's OK to take your time! I used to get so impatient and would quickly give up on a piece if it wasn't shaping up to what I had imagined it'd be. Now, I make myself finish illustrations, even if I don't love them at first. With time, everything eventually works out! And sometimes it doesn't, but that's ok too! The process has made me a better artist for sure.
Your work features a balance of colorful typography and nature-inspired imagery. Is your creative process different when you create one vs. the other?
Typography is especially fun to me because I love to play with letterforms. I like to see how much I can distort a letter while still keeping it legible. Painting from nature is much more meditative — therapeutic, even.
You are, of course, known for your maximalist approach to color! Which color combos do you absolutely love and would love to see embraced more?
I love to play with colors that compete with each other, like a hot pink next to a poppy red. It's like they almost vibrate when put next to one another. It's so hard to pick favorites though, every color has so much potential to be lovely. Unexpected combinations, like fluorescent orange and dusty lilac, have a special place in my heart.
What's your favorite holiday to celebrate (and why)?
I LOVE Halloween! Fall is obviously the best season, and Halloween is so nostalgic and fun AND truly special. My girls love spooky things, so we get really into decorating. Lately I've been creating custom gravestones for our front lawn out of styrofoam, and it's such an arduous process, but it's totally worth it to have a custom Seymour Butts headstone! I love seeing people stop and read all the silly names.
You work across a variety of mediums to create your art. When concepting your work, how do you decide which medium to use?
I love to use acrylic gouache. I used to strictly only use digital media, but I started painting with acrylic gouache a few years ago, and it changed my life! It's like the traditional equivalent to digital media, because you can achieve vibrant, flat colors and it's easy to paint over if you make a mistake!
What excites you the most about your collaboration with Evite?
It's so delightful to think that someone might see my artwork and think that it's the perfect representation for the kind of party they're planning. Which can only mean it's going to be the most fun party ever!
Shannon Snow makes colorful art for colorful people. She firmly believes that art should make you feel good. The vibrant colors and nature scenes are undeniably cheerful. Their uplifting, playful scenes—of bugs climbing over mushrooms or a smiling turtle marching—will definitely bring a smile to your face. Southern and quite proud of it, Shannon loves a good wallpapered powder room, a front porch cocktail and low-country summer evenings. Check out her art on Instagram (@hello.shannon) and, of course, right here at Evite!
What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from other signup tools?
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than other signup tools:
- 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
- Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
- No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
- Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
- Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
- User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
- Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
What is a SignUp Sheet?
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, SignUp Sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
How do I create a SignUp Sheet?
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
- Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
- Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
- Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
- After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
- Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
- After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
- Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!
What information should be included on a SignUp Sheet?
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
- A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
- When and where the event is taking place.
- The organizer’s name and phone number.
- Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete.
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
What are the benefits of using a SignUp Sheet template?
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
- A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
- Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
- No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
- The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
- Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
- An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
- Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.