Picture this: an 8-foot-tall tower of stuffed animals, books, shoes and bedding all piled on top of a suitcase and wrapped together in yarn looming perilously over you, a physical representation of never feeling fully unpacked in the place you’re supposed to call home. This is a real piece of art by senior art education major Regan Sheddan.
From the ages of six to 16, Sheddan lived in East Asia, where her parents were missionaries. Her family had to leave East Asia in 2020 during the global pandemic, but her parents now serve in Italy while Sheddan attends college.
Sheddan describes herself and others with her background as “Third Culture Kids,” more commonly referred to as TCKs.
“The definition of a Third Culture Kid is someone who spent a significant amount of their developmental years growing up in a country different than that of their parents’ culture,” Sheddan said.
During our chat, Sheddan took the time to express to me that, since she moved overseas so young, she has a difficult time defining which culture is home.
“It’s hard because people see my face and just expect me to be American, and they’re like, ‘Well, you’re originally from here, so you are American,” Sheddan said. “Which, yes, but because I’ve lived so many other places, I feel like a lot of times, the culture that I identify more with is East Asian culture.”
Sheddan communicated that the strong tie to her place of upbringing can lead her to feel like most who meet her are only getting one side of her, not the fullness of who she really is.
One way to combat this is through the Fusion club, a passion project that she revived early in her time at Union. Fusion is an organization that connects TCKs and gives them a strong support system of those with similar experiences to them.
“I really love it because, even though we all grew up in very different places, we have a really common experience and can relate to each other in ways other people on campus can’t,” Sheddan said. “It provides a space for us to hang out, talk and have community and fellowship. It’s a smaller, more tight-knit circle.”
Another one of Sheddan’s passions is art. Her suitcase sculpture is just one example of the many pieces of art she has made that reflect the twists and turns that come with being a TCK.
“Basically, with all of my stuff stacked up there, it kind of represented the many times I’ve had to move,” Sheddan said. “Every time I move, I try to fit my whole life into my suitcase, and there’s only a certain amount of stuff that you can fit into it.”
As I looked through the photos of Sheddan’s artwork, I couldn’t help but wish that I were seeing them in person. I saw several vibrant paintings, all of which carried a similar theme and style of colorful abstract shapes that still formed obvious scenes.
“I’ve found that I really like working with a palette knife because it’s a lot more freeing than using a brush,” Sheddan said. “When I use a palette knife, it’s kind of like I can’t control exactly what happens, which is kind of scary, but also really cool because it makes me let go of perfectionism.”
These paintings often incorporate real images and scenes from Sheddan’s various homes abroad, something she says often happens even when she doesn’t mean for it to.
All of her art is stunning, and even more impressive are the pieces she’s done for Samuel “Dub” Oliver, president of Union University. These pieces — with one still currently in production — are also in her abstract palette knife style and portray the beautiful staple landmarks of campus.
As if Sheddan couldn’t get any cooler, I soon learned that she has a self-published children’s book about the sights and sounds of where she grew up. Each page features hand-drawn art by Sheddan herself and was published via her own publishing company that she authorized just to get this book up for purchase.
“It’s about my experiences there,” Sheddan said. “The people, the food, the markets, things like that. I wanted to make something that helped explain what it was like growing up there, but also something that kids could enjoy.”
Beyond her immense talent, Sheddan is also gifted with a wildly apparent sense of thoughtfulness.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Audrey Penrod, a junior zoology major, and McKenna Negrey, a senior elementary education major, both dear friends of Sheddan’s. They shared tons of fond memories and stories with me that spoke volumes to Sheddan’s character.
Negrey shares a special bond with Sheddan as they are not only former roommates, but also get to student teach together.
“Regan truly is a wonderful person to know. We love swapping stories about our students and how we are growing as teachers,” Negrey said. “Along with being a great artist, Regan is also an amazing cook. She is very passionate about sharing her East Asian culture with her friends. Her smile is contagious when she is excited from meeting people who also speak Mandarin, as well as when she has new art to show. Regan has a big heart, and I am excited for the places and people she will meet as she travels the world.”
When I spoke to Penrod, she described to me exactly what I already hoped to showcase about Sheddan.
“She knows everyone and is always connecting people,” Penrod said. “It’s funny; she’s convinced she doesn’t know enough people, but she’s one of the most connected people on campus. She just cares so deeply. Even when she’s overwhelmed, she still wants to know every freshman, help every friend and build every bridge. She’s extraordinary.”
Above all, Sheddan cherishes her relationship with the Lord and hopes to point everything she has accomplished back to him. Inspiringly, she recalls giving her life to Christ as her family prepared their first move overseas.
“I remember not just wanting to be a tag-along, but I wanted to be a part of sharing the gospel with others,” Sheddan said. “I grew up in the church and believed everything I had read in the Bible, but in preparing to move overseas, I realized I could not truly communicate to strangers the saving grace found in Jesus if I had not experienced it and accepted it myself.”
Sheddan attributes her strength during the abrupt and jarring move from East Asia years later to her faith in God. When her family was forced to evacuate during the pandemic, Regan felt as if her whole world was being flipped on its head. Goodbyes are already hard, but saying goodbye to the one place that truly felt like home stripped her of her sense of security.
“The only thing that hadn’t changed was the Lord,” Sheddan said. “When I was at my lowest and felt like everything had been stripped away, the Lord remained constant in my life. Everything good I have ever had in life came from God, so my life wouldn’t just change without Him. It would fall apart.”
