Sylvan Lake artist Shelley Brzak is continually finding new ways to expand her creative energies.
She’s excited about a completed script based on her second book Inside My Tub, which was released in 2015.
Her first book, The Healing Thatch, was published as an electronic book on Amazon. And In June 2011, she read portions of the book in a reading put on by the Red Deer Arts Council.
Meanwhile, the goal is to see the new script - called Inexaya - blossom into a series rather than a single movie. A movie trailer featuring original characters and original music was produced back in 2018, which landed acclaim as well.
The atmospheric short, titled ‘Deni Dupre’, was also submitted to the Canada Shorts Film Festival back in 2018 and landed an honorable mention.
It can be watched on YouTube under the title ‘Film Souls Re work’.
Brzak, who was raised in Sylvan Lake, has long been making her name in the entertainment world via writing, editing, penning poetry, and painting as well.
“I was always into arts and writing,” she recalls of her formative years. “When I was 11, I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
When she was just 12, her mom submitted a piece of her art to a competition at the Benalto fair - and she landed fourth place for her efforts. Something of a vision was sparked.
“I did paintings with acrylic, and pastels - still life and abstract,” she said, adding that much of her creative skills come from her mom as well, who she described as a really good writer and singer in her own right.
Being a creative person has also helped her deal with painful and challenging chapters in her life, including the loss of loved ones. “It’s been cathartic,” said Brzak, who has penned six books in total.
“It’s helped me get through and it’s helped me just to keep going.”
What keeps her passionate about her creative journey?
“That I can inspire and also mentor other people,” she said, adding she is excited about opportunities that could service Sylvan Lake’s growing arts scene as well. “I share and I teach others - that is what I need to do,” she added.
“I think that we all are - in our own way - good at something,” she said of artistic gifting, adding that it boils down to having the confidence to explore those potential talents in our lives but also having the support from others to encourage a person along the way, too.
On top of her creative output, she’s also a proud mom to three, pointing out that they are all creative primarily through their musical giftings.
Ultimately, Brzak said a person just has to stay focused in order to be successful in finding their passion - in spite of the challenges that may surface along the way.
“I’ve told people, don’t give up - keep going. Keep putting one foot in front of the other,” she said. “I also say, if you reach for the stars, you might just get there. Just don’t give up. It might take you a while, but just keep going.”
For more about Shelley Brzak, find her on Facebook at ‘Lit4uone Productions’, or to explore her work, you can also find her on Amazon.