Empowered Human Academy

This week’s guest is Australia-based artist and illustrator, Shira Bentley. Shira began her career as a print artist, and her love of collaborative storytelling quickly led her to illustration. Her beautiful work transforms ideas into engaging visual stories filled with color, humor, and snippets of daily life. Shira’s art has been exhibited in memorable spots like the roadway overlooking the Sydney Opera House as well as on the international scene.

We first met Shira back in February of 2020, before the pandemic lockdowns began. Shira is a kindred soul—our conversations easily turn into hours of getting lost in the magic, but don’t worry—we capped this one at an hour. Throughout this conversation we discuss staying true to your creative voice while also balancing your audience’s needs, saying “yes” before you’ve figured it all out, and maintaining your integrity by making things that you honestly like. Whether or not you identify as an artist, we think you’ll find Shira’s wisdom applicable, whatever your niche.

Show Notes

This week’s guest is Australia-based artist and illustrator, Shira Bentley. Shira began her career as a print artist, and her love of collaborative storytelling quickly led her to illustration. Her beautiful work transforms ideas into engaging visual stories filled with color, humor, and snippets of daily life. Shira’s art has been exhibited in memorable spots like the roadway overlooking the Sydney Opera House as well as on the international scene.

We first met Shira back in February of 2020, before the pandemic lockdowns began. Shira is a kindred soul—our conversations easily turn into hours of getting lost in the magic, but don’t worry—we capped this one at an hour. Throughout this conversation we discuss staying true to your creative voice while also balancing your audience’s needs, saying “yes” before you’ve figured it all out, and maintaining your integrity by making things that you honestly like. Whether or not you identify as an artist, we think you’ll find Shira’s wisdom applicable, whatever your niche. 

Full show notes, downloadables, and links are also available at empoweredhumanacademy.com/14

Keep the conversation going...

Table Question: What’s a decision you’ve made recently that led to some kind of expansion for you? 

Journal Prompt: What does it feel like in your body when you’re standing in your creative integrity? And then what about when you’re existing outside of it?

Action Step: Make a list of art that inspires you— a favorite film, album, book, landscape, etc. Revisit this list whenever you feel flat, stuck, or uninspired. Keep this list close to remind you of the life force inside you when you’re having trouble finding it.

View the printable worksheet on Google Docs

Further reading:  
Explore more of Shira’s work here 
Follow Shira on Instagram: @shirabentleyart
Listen to the Mark Groves podcast 

This is a production of Lightward, Inc. Like everything we do, this show is Pay-What-Feels-Good.

What is Empowered Human Academy?

We believe that we’re all meant to live our most expansive lives possible—but it can be overwhelming knowing where to begin, and feeling stuck is real. Empowered Human Academy exists to unlock your imagination with real conversations with inspiring humans of all different kinds, sharing the wisdom they've gained in their respective fields. Throughout these episodes we’ll explore holistic wellness, activism, self-discovery, emotional intelligence, and more. We’ve gathered some of the most heart-forward humans we know all in one place—and we can’t wait for you to meet them. The truth is, we find ourselves in each other’s stories—and learning is ultimately just remembering what we already know. We hope you’ll join us and become the empowered human you’ve always been inside.