Hope. Digital photograph of Golden Lion Tamarin by Shelton Sherrill. As a self-taught artist growing up in Columbia South Carolina, I took an interest in the arts every since I first learned to write. Without much direction in the beginning, I learned the process of raw creation from my own internal thoughts and ideas. During high school, it was my art teacher who took an interest in my passion and helped cultivate my intrest. While pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts at Francis Marion University, I learned the history, theory and techniques that allowed me to elevate my passion and skills in the visual arts to another level.