Greenville artist advances to quarterfinals of international art competition with paintings inspired by her son’s rare genetic condition
June 19, 2026
Greenville artist and mother Nicole Shannon has advanced to the quarterfinals of The People’s Artist, an international art competition presented by Johnny Depp in support of The Art of Elysium, a nonprofit that uses art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges and brings art experiences to children in hospitals. The artwork that brought Shannon this far was inspired by her son Quinn, who was born missing 263 genes due to a rare genetic condition.
Following Quinn’s diagnosis, Shannon began creating her Rare Roses paintings based on real roses with genetic abnormalities.
“Through my Rare Roses paintings, I explore how we assign value to difference and affirm that human value is not diminished by difference,” Shannon said.
What began as a deeply personal response to her family’s experience has grown into a body of work that has touched many individuals and families who see their own stories reflected in the paintings.
Shannon entered The People’s Artist competition in hopes of sharing the Rare Roses with a wider audience.
The paintings have become a way for people from many different backgrounds to reflect on difference, belonging, and human worth.
The People’s Artist competition is open to artists across North America. The winner will receive a $25,000 prize, an exhibition in Los Angeles, and a feature in Artforum magazine.
Shannon’s work has advanced to the quarterfinal round as supporters from across the United States continue voting in the competition.
About Nicole Shannon
Nicole Shannon is a Greenville-based interdisciplinary artist whose work examines how perception, belief, and meaning shape human experience. Working across painting and sculpture, she creates metaphor-driven bodies of work that explore transformation, embodiment, and the ways individuals construct value, identity, and possibility through lived experience. Her Rare Roses series, inspired by real roses with genetic abnormalities, explores how society assigns value to difference and affirms that human value is not diminished by difference. You can learn more about Nicole at https://nicoleshannon.com/about
About The People’s Artist
The People’s Artist is an international art competition presented by Johnny Depp in support of The Art of Elysium. The competition provides artists an opportunity to share their work with a broader audience while supporting a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the healing power of art to children in hospitals and others facing significant life challenges.
You can view the competition page at https://peoplesartist.org/2026/nicole-shannon
