Meet Shawndra Blue | Artistic Creator of The Canvas Bar & Flight Attendant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawndra Blue and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawndra, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process behind creating my own business was to cultivate a therapeutic space where art & authentic conversations merge. I envisioned three hour mini getaways where people could gather to let their hair down, unwind, & feel free to be visually expressive. The goal is for each guest to experience the beauty & good vibes of art therapy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Aside from running The Canvas Bar, I am a Flight Attendant. It’s the best career choice I could’ve made for myself! I love the adventure of it! I also love greeting & meeting my passengers on a daily basis. I get the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life & actually get to do life with them for a few hours. I worked in different roles within the medical field for over twenty years prior to this career change. While I enjoyed those roles, they pale in comparison to the love I have for being a Flight Attendant. It wasn’t an easy transition, but it was certainly worth it.The greatest part for me is that I gain a wealth of inspiration from my travels that I can apply to my art & business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my bestie were visiting the area, some of the areas we would hang out in would include Bishop Arts, Klyde Warren Park, Deep Ellum, Cedar Ridge Preserve, The Dallas Arboretum, White Rock Lake, & The Dallas Museum of Art. These are some of my faves for people watching, chilling out, & experiencing Dallas vibes. As for places I love for food & drinks, there are too many to list! I’ll narrow it down to Pecan Lodge, Stirr, Pappadeaux, Soirée Coffee Bar, The Keg, The Blue Martini, Dream Cafe, and JS International Grill. I’m getting hungry just thinking about these places. We would also have to visit The Free Man & Scat Jazz Lounge for live music.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to give a HUGE shoutout to one of my biggest supporters, Gwen Hughes, Not only was she my business partner at The Canvas Bar/Grow Desoto Marketplace, but I am blessed to call her a dear friend as well. She encourages me, provides constructive feedback, & has been supportive of my endeavors from day one. I also have to shoutout another Sister/Friend, Nicole Livingston. She is always willing & able to support The Canvas Bar whether making amazing Charcuterie Boards for the paint parties, providing photography/videography, or assisting with the actual events. Both of these ladies deserve credit & recognition. I couldn’t do this successfully without them. To be honest, all of my family & friends have been beyond supportive.

Website: thecanvasbar.com

Instagram: @thecanvasbar