Kool Things: Punk in Practice - Part 2

Doing It Yourself and Claiming Your Superpower

Behind the scenes on the Runaway video shoot / photo by Analissa Longoria

Hello and Happy Monday!

Welcome to Part 2 of Kool Things: Punk in Practice—my talk for CreativeMornings / Vancouver.

In this chapter, we’re getting into the guts of DIY: the photoshoots, the videos, the album art, and making it all yourself. It’s about becoming your own Swiss Army knife—and why your soft spots might be your superpowers in disguise.

🖤 Missed Part 1? I’ve linked it for you below ⬇️

Enjoying this series and want to support my work? You can subscribe below, or send me a coffee to help maintain the ideal caffeination level for creativity. 💙

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Let’s go!

🛠️ KOOL THING #2: DIY OR DIE

Become your own Swiss Army knife.

I’ve worn many hats in my creative life, and every one of those skills are useful in a band. Every project I touched, even on the side, became part of my toolkit.

(Here’s a few of the 200+ custom pedal prints I designed for my supporters during the pandemic.)

For years I designed posters, websites, merch, album covers, and made visual identities—first for others, and then for my own projects. On the admin side, my time as a design studio manager was transferrable to my role with ACTORS as tour manager, and grant writer too.

My band LEATHERS became a way to create an entire visual and sonic universe. I wrote the songs, shot self portraits, filmed and edited videos, and designed album art so I could oversee every aspect of the project.

This was photo below was captured in the living room of my studio apartment. I did my makeup, got dressed, set up one light for the background, and one light for the subject, started the self timer, and got the shot.

My video for the single Day For Night was filmed on an iPhone X then coloured and edited with Adobe Premiere (which I taught myself to use after filming). I had never edited video to this degree of complexity before—it was fun, not to mention absolutely fucking frustrating 😄, and I gained a valuable new skill in the process.

I even made a 60 page lyric book—fully inspired by my love of 90s music mags like Ray Gun and Spin.

DIY means rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. It’s showing up with the tools you have and figuring it out as you go.

(some recent examples of my painting and tattoo work)

🌟 KOOL THING #3: FLEX YOUR SUPERPOWERS

It might not be what you think.

Singing is a kind of magic. Mount Everest-level self-expression. But letting people hear your real voice? That’s sooo scary. But… no risk, no magic.

I struggled for years to find my confidence as a singer.

I loved singing and felt called to do it, but I was so shy that my body would shut down—my throat and my chest were so tight, I had no volume in my voice.

I felt so frustrated and lost. I needed help.

One day my vocal teacher Beau Wheeler, told me something that changed everything: He said “Your shyness is a superpower.” That completely blew my mind.

I’d always seen my shyness as a weakness, but when I started embracing that quiet vulnerability to connect with the audience—I finally let go.

Beau taught me that the things you think are holding you back might actually be your greatest strengths.

Punk is showing up exactly as you are.

Not in spite of your flaws—but because of them.

I’ve always loved this quote from Kurt.

🌈 Next Up…

In Part 3, we’ll talk about creative partnerships, big-picture dreaming, and how finding the right co-conspirator can change everything—plus the power of reaching your potential, on your own timeline.

xo,
Shannon