Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jason McElweenie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jason, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I don’t know if I’ve ever overcome imposter syndrome but I do recognize it when it happens. In the past I had a lot misgivings about my skills and self-worth. As I get older I know what I can do and how I can use my skills to my advantage. As I said, I don’t think I’ll ever overcome it but I’m able to see it when it happens.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m an artist and creative based in Houston, Texas. Over the years I’ve tried to gather as many experiences that I can. I’ve tried my hand at a few professions and part time jobs. I’ve loaded shipping containers on the Fraser River in BC, cooked food in Banff, AB, welded truck frames in Kitchener, ON, worked as a bike courier, in a museum in Toronto, ON, ran an exotic car warehouse in Montreal, QC and eventually made my way down here.
All of that has given me my own unique perspective on life. I pour that into my work. Whether it’s photography, billboards, concert posters or AI images they have my painter’s hand in them.
I’ve been working a lot in the AI art space and I continue to explore new ways to show what’s in my head. I continue to work through issues from my everyday life in my art. I can visualize imagery that conjures up past traumas and face them head on. I’ve been very fortunate to have this outlet in my life. It’s both therapeutic and cathartic.
I’m going to keep learning new things and keep pushing myself creatively. I feel with each year I get closer and closer to constructing what I see in my head. Stay tuned!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think trauma has really helped me in my journey more than anything. Trauma has helped form how I understand and cope with adversity. Over the years I’ve worked on finding new ways to visualize my mental state and my feelings toward the world before me. Sometimes it’s enlightening and sometimes it’s alarming. As I work through my art I am able to discover new ways to look at my life and how I move through it.
My advice to anyone wanting to be an artist is to be true to yourself and never try to be someone you think others want you to be. I’d also say do things that scare you. Do new things, meet new people. Volunteer somewhere that could help benefit your journey. Sign up for that improv class. Enter an art show. Whatever it is, if it’s something you want go get it. No one is going to do it for you and no one truly thinks you can’t do it. You can, so do it.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
I have a short film that I want to get made but I’m having a hard time starting it. I don’t have a budget so hiring others to help isn’t possible quite yet. I’m part of the way there. I know the shots, locations and what the entire thing looks like but I need financial backing to make it work. If there’s anyone out there is familiar with my previous artistic work like my cinematic photography and you would like to back this project I can send you an outline.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jaymacphoto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/budtherepoman/ https://www.instagram.com/deneyterrio/ https://www.instagram.com/leicaqfotos/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaymacphotography
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmcelweenie/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@randomrulesstudios
