How Shana Blakley Is Using Her Art To Remember Her Son.

Artist and owner of FgrFrm, created a special piece of art to commemorate Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month this year (October) which will mark 5 years without her October.

by: Shannon Siriano Greenwood

Shana Blakley of Figure Form, made her art her business after a personal family tragedy, the loss of her son, October, at 39 weeks. Her story has inspired a community of people who have experienced loss, and her work is bringing beauty and joy to spaces across the country

Enjoy this conversation with Shana Blakley of Figure Form.

R: You are a stay at home mom of two small children, Hue and Elm, and also running a business, Figure Form, creating and selling artwork full-time. How is that going?

It’s definitely chaos–haha–but somehow it works, probably because it has to. Hue will be 4 in November and Elm is newly 1, so right now it’s one of those “the only way is through” sort of things. I do realize though how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to work creatively doing something I love in the comfort of my own space while spending as much time as I’d like with my children. Because I don’t really have a separation between Figure Form and home life, it’s a constant juggle between my kids' needs and all of the aspects of running a business. To get work done, I have to make sure I have an agenda for the day, if only a loose one, which plays to my virgo personality well. However, I don’t have a lot of room for organic creativity at the moment. That’s okay though–this is just a season of Figure Form and we’re making it work.

R: You shared about the loss of your son, October, at 39 weeks. How did it feel to make this part of your life so visible?

Ah, so many emotions– anxious, proud, vulnerable, grateful, complicated. I’ve always been open in talking about October, but the video I posted on social media was the most visually-detailed and raw I’ve shared. It has taken my husband, Matt, and I by surprise how quickly the video soared and has resonated with people both within and outside the child loss community. We’ve been overwhelmed by the loving response, which has made the share so worth it. It can be confusing for me to think about October in the context of Figure Form, because without losing him my art business wouldn’t exist. However, that’s not a silver lining, and I don’t want it to be construed that way–it’s just a fact. The loss of October has brought me so much. I am so grateful for my life now, and something will always be missing– both can be true.

R: You haven't always been an artist by profession, how did you begin to make the transition from one career to another?

I’ve always been into art and crafting, but never had any formal training. I actually went to school for social work and was a licensed clinical social worker practicing as a therapist for children and families. When October died, I wasn’t emotionally able to return to that work, so I started a work from home position and sort of holed myself up in our office. I started watercoloring using my cup of coffee as a way to keep my mind silenced from obsessive thoughts and pass time throughout the day. I loved the way the coffee created the perfect nut-brown hue, and it smelled so good on the paper. I was focused on painting the body, and now looking back, it was perhaps because of my complicated relationship with my own body and all it did and didn’t do when October passed.

R: What type of support do you have that makes this lifestyle work for your family?

I’m fortunate to have a partner who currently works a more traditional 9-5 job, which really helps me continue to rationalize the ups and downs of owning an art business– something I never would have thought for myself. I’m also lucky to have my own studio space in our home, which came with its own sacrifices (moving out of the city and into suburbia, which isn’t really our scene, but it’s a great “now”).

R: What are you most proud of?

In terms of my work, the October Print is the most meaningful piece of artwork I’ve created. Matt and I actually spent weeks collaborating on the design. We wanted to make a special piece of art to commemorate Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month this year (October) which will mark 5 years without our October.

The piece is a rich ochre color (an autumnal ode to our son) and depicts the journey of pregnancy and loss as landscape. We hope the artwork gives a sense of connection and comfort to those that have experienced child and/or parenthood loss.

In terms of myself, it’s been a really event-packed and emotional five years. They’ve held the most growth, both personally and professionally, than any other years of my life. I got married, moved to a new city and set down roots, birthed a child, buried a child, quit a career, ignited a passion, started a creative business, birthed two more children, and all the moments in between. I’ve become stronger, more self-assured, and more purposeful as a person, and I feel really proud of my forward growth and the life Matt and I continue to create for our family.

R: What are you looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to the October Print being showcased on a broader scale during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. My hope is that the artwork speaks to the experience of anyone on a journey of loss, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death, and/or infertility, and reminds them they are not alone. A portion of the sale of each piece will be donated to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a non-profit that provides "the power of remembrance" through photography for families who have lost children. They were there for us and our baby in ways we couldn’t be, and they gave us one of the only physical things we have left of him– his memory in photos.

Also, I’d be remiss not to mention that the holidays are always an exciting time of year for small businesses. I’ll have some fun new offerings at multiple price points: make-your-own-ornament kits, block print stationary, and, fingers crossed, tote bags. I’m really looking forward to vending at a few of my favorite holiday markets in Richmond!

Find Shana’s work at www.shopfigureform.com

Follow her story and connect with her on Instagram and TikTok.