Meet Shel Nuth | Fashion Buyer & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shel Nuth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shel, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I wouldn’t say that I’ve led a recklessly risky life but I would say that I tend to like change more than most people. This has led me to move to San Francisco with $200 to my name, take the leap to London alone and most recently choosing to quit my career job because it felt too comfortable. I think our intuition is much stronger than we accredit it to be. With a little introspection, strength and applied mindset, the risks in my career and art have always proven to be positive.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My illustration work is largely inspired by Modigliani but with a modern twist. I like to use pop colours and bold prints to lift the seriousness of the women in my portraits. Each of my girls is a story of part of my life. What I am most excited about at the moment is exploring a new medium! I will be testing the waters with clay, but in a funky, non traditional way. I recently apprenticed my mother on a large outdoor sculpture and fell in love with getting my hands dirty. As a city dweller, fashion buyer, and illustrator, I am not used to dirt under my fingernails or not caring if there is mud on my pants. It’s thrilling and I am looking for new ways to incorporate this grunge into my work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
San Diego has so much to offer and I feel like I’m still exploring it myself. What makes SD unique is it still has that small town charm in each neighbourhood that gets lost in bigger cities. Aside from the obvious gems like Balboa Park and Old Town I’ll keep my list simple and local: 1. The Beach: One of my absolute favourite places ever is Moonlight Beach. My ritual is to always grab a pre-beach latte at Pannikan Coffee & Tea on the way and hit Modern Times for drinks afterwards. 2. The Country: I can’t go without a shout out to my hometown Ramona. We have one of my favourite hikes, Mt Woodson, more popularly known for Potato Chip Rock and a great 360 view. I like to follow the hike with some of the best Mexican food in the county at Mi Ranchito. The tiny place doesn’t look like much but the bean cheese burrito & carne asada tacos are a must! 3. The WorkOut: Barre Therapy Oceanside hosts outdoor classes in front of The Rising Co boutique every Saturday and Sunday and they are a BUTT KICKER. It’s the perfect way to start your morning, plus you can hit up the boutique and shop locally made artisan goods after the class. Their cafe also stocks my fave San Diego coffee from Revolution Roasters. 4. The Spirit: As a treat, I love the Four Moons Spa in Encinita. It’s great for a treatment or spiritual reading and has a boho chic vibe. It’s close to Cedros Design district which has great shopping, specifically I love Solo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Jim Crawford, Tanya McAnear & David Souza in affiliation with San Diego Fashion Careers College. I used to model in San Diego during my early teen years. At a very young age, these individuals instilled me with confidence, responsibility to commitments and gave me exposure to artistic freedom and the fashion retail industry that has been the focus of my career.

Website: https://www.shelnuthart.com/

Instagram: @shelnuthart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/snuth/