Father-and-son team up to capture life on Siesta

Like the old adage says, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. In the case of father-son duo Shawn and Ryan McLoughlin, the saying rings true.

Shawn, or “Siesta Shawn,” as he’s often called, is a Ringling College of Arts and Design graduate, whose paintings of beach life and murals on local establishments have earned him a solid reputation as an artist around the island throughout the past 30 years.

His son, Ryan, is a web designer whose passion for art was spurred at a young age, when his father would take him and his brother to the beach while he painted.

It’s not surprising, then, that the two men are collaborating on a new project, called iSiestaKey.com, a website they hope will become a hub for all videos related to Siesta Key.

“I’ve always been interested in video editing,” says Shawn. “When the kids were little, I used to film them running around, and I’d go in and add music and edit it. They were the stars of their own music videos.”

Ryan, who has been working in Hawaii as a website designer for the past 10 years, has recently moved back to Siesta Key, where he and his father quickly began brainstorming ways to combine their creativity and skill sets.

The two came up with the idea for the website, which will consist of both original and user-generated content and will be organized by location and subject matter, including wildlife, events and the various accommodations offered on Siesta Key.

“We just kept coming back to this idea of a video website,” says Ryan. “We want to highlight a few specific areas, and we hope to offer some unique perspectives with our original content.”

Shawn says the site is still in its early stages, but the two are excited to see how their project evolves.

The pair has already gotten to work, producing some original content for the site including a video of the effects of Tropical Storm Debby on Siesta Key Beach, shot by Shawn using a high-definition helmet camera.

“My art has always helped me make a little bit of money,” said Sean. “But, it wasn’t about the money. I liked it, because I was able to do whatever I wanted to do. With the advancements made in technology, it’s really opened up a whole new world for artists — even amateurs can produce professional-quality work.”

The site is up and running, and users are able to submit Siesta-related content for consideration. Ryan says he and his father will also continue to add content to the site and will begin making site updates within the next few weeks. Above all, Ryan says he’s enjoying the opportunity to work with his father.

“We have different skills, and we each have our own roles, but, creatively, we’re on the same page,” he says. “It’s been fun. Our skills really complement each other.”