Shalaia Washington

My name is Shalaia Washington (b. 2006, Virginia Beach, VA) and I’m a Virginia-based painter, illustrator, and animator. Currently pursuing a BFA in Visual Arts with a Studio Art concentration and Animation minor at Virginia State University.

My work focuses on painting, drawing, and digital media, combining traditional and contemporary techniques to create layered visual narratives through a surrealist lens. Exploring themes of identity, memory, folklore, and history in a realism setting. I use symbolism and visual storytelling to communicate complex ideas and personal experiences across both fine art and animation. Outside of art, I spend my time journaling my thoughts, traveling, reading on history and mythology which I often incorporate into my works.