We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jody Parmann. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jody below.
Jody, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I have many ways to spark my creativity, but I believe in letting go of expectations and embracing what comes to me. When people ask what kind of artist I am, I struggle to answer simply because I explore so many mediums.
I’m a designer, painter, and sculptor. I work with pottery, make dolls, design fashion, and create mixed media art. I use 3D printing, CAD design, and I’m an enthusiastic gardener. I take on home improvement projects, bake occasionally, wander with a witchy flair, and write poems and songs. I crochet, work with wood, make jewelry, organize, shape forms, and design websites. My interests and skills go on and on, reaching to infinity.
Some see me as a renaissance woman, while others see signs of ADHD (common neurodivergence amongst artists). When it comes to creativity, I let it find me. Whatever I need to express or create, I seek out the tools and learn the skills to make my vision a reality. So don’t be afraid to be a beginner. Fail, learn, and then fail better.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I loved drawing people, but over time, I realized fine art commissions weren’t for me—they just stressed me out. So, in college, I made the switch from fine art to graphic design and got my Communication Design degree at St. Clair County Community College. Since then, I’ve been freelancing for years.
To my surprise, I really enjoy freelance work. I love learning all about my clients’ businesses or products and creating marketing designs that are both informative and thought-provoking. My ADHD is a bit of a superpower here because I always start by asking myself, “What would catch my attention? (No easy feat).”
Aside from freelance work, I create art for fun and as a therapeutic release from life’s ups and downs. Recently, after a 13-year marriage, I went through a divorce, and themes of healing and heartbreak were prevalent in my last show at the Exquisite Corpse Coffeehouse in Port Huron, MI.
I’ve also led grassroots efforts to boost public art in my community, like rehabbing a run-down, graffitied tunnel and training 32 local artists in mural painting.
I’m available for freelance graphic design work. Check out my portfolio: https://jodyparmann.art/portfolio2/
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three things have helped me on my creative journey:
1. My high school art teacher, Scott Magneson, let me do things my way. I was very prickly and particular, and instead of forcing me to follow his assignments, he gave me the space to pursue my own ideas. This taught me patience, especially when teaching my own children. They are talented in their own right and like to do things their way, and I let them be.
2. Making art is good for my mental health. Being creative is synonymous with being sensitive, and I feel the full range of emotions, which can be a lot to cope with sometimes. Making art helps me sort through my feelings and find balance.
3. Art is magic. It has the power to connect people with ideas they don’t know how to articulate in themselves. Suddenly, they feel seen, and sometimes that makes all the difference.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The book “How to Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything, Yes Anything” has been a game-changer for me. It’s full of anecdotal stories that really drive home the point that, while life can be incredibly tough sometimes, feelings are temporary. No matter how bad things get, those bad feelings won’t last forever, and you can recover. It’s been a huge help in how I navigate challenges.
Contact Info:
- Website: Http://www.jodyparmann.art
- Instagram: JP_jodyparmann
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jody-parmann?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
Image Credits
N/A
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
