Shone Thistle is a Queer poet, storyteller and multidisciplinary artist. Once described as a “feminist folk poet,” Shone’s collective work ranges from radio to jazz ensemble, festival to conference keynote, inner city cabaret to gallery by the sea. Poetic highlights include: representing Calgary at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, a residency in the Spoken Word program at the Banff Centre for Performing Arts, competing to receive perfect scores at the world-famous Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City, performing with jazz quartet Red Line Trio+1 during the 2019 Brightside Festival, and collaborating on a cabaret and sound art installation as part of Arts Commons TD Incubator program in 2023. 

Shone was born on the unceded lands of the Lekwungen Peoples on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, also known as Victoria. They grew up in Nanaimo, British Columbia, and in the late 90's moved to Calgary. Other than a short return to the coast, Shone has been an uninvited but grateful guest in Moh'kinsstis ever since. Painting was their first love, later making way for poetry and writing. Today their visual art practice is reemerging in the form of mixed media visual art, including the use of drywall compound, plaster, acrylics, latex paint, and metallic inks. Shone enjoys pairing each series of paintings with an original poem that emerges during the creative process.

Shone’s poetry can be found in several anthologies including Mic Check: An Anthology of Canadian Spoken Word Poetry and more recently in YYC POP: Poetic Portraits of the People. She has two books in consideration for publishing, one children’s picture book and one book of poetry, with a third book of poetry on the way.

Shone is also humbled to have worked with several non-profits and charities, creating measurable impact in service of violence prevention, poverty reduction, equity, creativity, and community. They played an integral role in the creation of Calgary’s first permanent Pride and Trans crosswalks, as well as mobilized sector wide leaders in the establishment of Canada’s strongest municipal bylaw against conversion therapy.

When Shone isn't creating in their back yard studio or spending time with family and fur babies, they are empowering Queer creativity, joy and community as the Executive Director for Calgary Queer Arts Society.