There are those in the world who have had nothing handed to them freely, and they refuse to be stuck in their circumstances. These are the people who jump over those hurdles instead of falling captive to what people tell them they can or cannot be.

Shawn Powers had his humble beginnings here in Worcester. As a child, he witnessed his mother work day and night to make sure that he and his sister had what they needed, given that his father was not in the picture. He learned that some people just have to do more to get by, and he considers that his greatest gift.

“I learned to feel grateful for everything in my life, big or small, material or spiritual, and that perspective carries through to the open world of creative freedoms I choose to take part in,” Powers said. “My work is always as raw as my feelings for the world I see before me, and the gratitude I feel for the universe and its unlimited beauty always finds its way into my themes as a visual artist and storyteller.”

Powers, a local Worcester artist working in digital multi-media art and paintings, has risen above the whirlpool of destruction in which some find themselves when they set hope aside. Instead, he believes in creating things that are beautiful. He believes in being an example of how the little guy can thrive despite everything.

“If I could give one piece of advice to anyone who feels lost in their struggle, it would be to look inside and find out who you are. Once you know who you are, be you. Everything else falls into place naturally. My grandfather always told me to do what I love and live the life I was designed for, and everything else will work itself out … words worth more than gold,” Powers said.

And he certainly is being himself. With a style that is unique and bold, where the underlying theme is freedom, his pieces stand out. Powers doesn’t believe that true art lives in following the artistic rules, but by breaking them and allowing honesty to come through in what is being created.

“In all honesty, I can’t say where my passion for creativity comes from,” Powers said. “I can say that it is truly how I was designed, and it’s the only way I know how to function as a human being and a member of society. I can’t think of anything better that I could specifically contribute to the world around me.”

In addition to creating beautiful and interesting works of art, Powers is also a writer who has penned two books, which he considers his “prized creations and an extension of ideas that never end,” that will be released in 2016. The first book, Bad Connection, “explores the idea that every time we meet someone, or every time we love someone, we make a connection to them, and sometimes we simply make bad connections, and sometimes the bad connections we make in our past come back to haunt our futures. There are plenty of underlining tones that touch on the idea of corruption in opulence and how love can turn into madness,” Powers explained. The second book, Mr. Mortem, is “about a man who has lived a less-than-honorable life, and when the time comes for him to face his death, he meets a man named Mr. Mortem and is forced to face the life he lived before he is allowed to pass on.”

Though Powers acknowledges that growing up in the city was not the easiest upbringing, he also believes that it has potential, but that it will take everyone doing a part to help Worcester succeed.

“Worcester is like an old sneaker, not much to look at but damn comfortable. We have so many charms that other cities don’t, but they mean nothing to people who feel unsafe. I think the revitalization of our downtown area is a step in the right direction, and we have been making many initiatives to beautify our city, but there is still a missing element … the people. A city can only be as good as the people living in it, and many Worcester residents complain about our city, so my question to anyone living in Worcester who complains about it is, ‘What do you contribute to make your city better? What do you put out into the world?’” Powers said.

Finding who he is, excelling and putting that talent back into society so it improves the lives of others, while also making waves in the world in an honest and forthright way … what better way to embrace self and tell stereotypes to get in the back? Powers is in the driver’s seat with no GPS, and he’s completely OK with that. It’s creative wanderlust at its finest.

To see more of Powers’ art, visit ShawnPowersArt.com or look him up on Fine Art America to purchase his work in a variety of formats.

By Jennifer Russo