My work is colorful, expressive and infused with a sense of comedic relatability. I like to depict fantasy scenarios plucked straight from my imagination. These scenes often feature carefree, mostly black and brown women expressing themselves freely, as well as whimsical animal characters. Clothing is also featured heavily in my illustrations and it often takes on a character of its own. In my pattern design work intended for use in textiles, I use my illustrations to make a garment tell a story. Often, using my light colorful and poppy illustrations to communicate complex and somewhat dark themes.
Shahvteeaylah Williams was born in Be’er Sheva, Israel on August 27th 1998 and raised in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia. She was inspired to start drawing at a very young age by the cartoons she would watch and continued to develop the skill all throughout her formative years. During her time as a student at Central High School, she decided to turn the hobby into a career. She then went on to study illustration at the University of the Arts.
There she would receive The Presidential Award for Creativity and win The Richard C. Von Hess Travel Fellowship and Scholarship in the summer of 2020. This award paid for her final year at university and allotted her 7,000 dollars to take a trip to the country of her choice: Japan. Unfortunately, the covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions that have yet to lift in Japan have prevented Shahvteeaylah from taking the trip. She now spends her time working as a waitress and trying to develop her career as an illustrator.
2021
University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration
2017
Central High School, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Arts
2020
Richard C Von Hess Travel Scholarship, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2017
Presidential Award for Creativity, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2021
William H. Ely Outdoor Exhibition, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
