Shannon Grissom, a San Jose native, originally expressed her creative self through music. Moved to combine her musical affinity with her passion for color, she began oil painting in 1992. Inspired and driven, she rose early each day to paint. These painting sessions were completed before the start of her workday. This demanding schedule was worth the effort. By 1999, she was able to leave her day job to become a professional artist. Today, Shannon is an award-winning artist. She has won awards for both her painting and her television series, "Give Your Walls Some Soul". Additionally, She is a nominee for the first ever academy awards for visual artists. The ARTV Awards Show is the first nationally-televised event which spotlights artists in America for achievement and excellence. The red-carpet awards program will take place in Las Vegas on October 28, 2005 at the MGM Grand. Her first children’s book, Monkey Made of Sockies, will be published in the fall of 2005. The book was inspired by the whimsical paintings Shannon created of her mother’s sock monkey. She is represented by Leo Licensing, LLC and maintains a studio in Hollister, California Visit Shannon's website at: http://www.shannongrissom.com/ | 
