Meet Jamie Kough

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamie Kough. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jamie, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

Serving, doing, and giving are my love languages. I hope that others see me as generous but I do not self-describe as such. I view making art as a service to the communities I collaborate with. Sometimes, art-making is for me, and there’s just something that needs to be expressed or released, prompting me to create. Yet, there is always an underlying desire to connect with those who will partake in the creation—a wish to speak a language that can be understood by another person. So even in moments when the seed of creation comes from within, it quickly grows into a product or idea that can serve someone else. In this way, I believe generosity stems from creating with others. It feels natural, spontaneous, and inevitable. We are wired to be with others, and our being ignites around their energy. If we are surrounded by generosity, I believe we will also be generous. This is a core element of who I am as a creative and the work I share with the world. If my work isn’t of service, I stop, reevaluate, and recalibrate to ensure it generates generosity.

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?

In my experience, art has the ability to teach us everything. It teaches us how we respond to directives, how we relate to others, how we problem-solve (or don’t), how much we desire skill, how willing we are, how much resentment or tolerance we harbor, how much we want to be seen or to hide, how angry or at peace we are, and how much direction or freedom we desire—and why. All of this is happening simultaneously as one creates. Research, understanding the ability to let go, observation, and the willingness to put oneself out there are all qualities that require a strong personality to embody. We begin to birth something from within and ultimately choose whether to remain attached or to let go.

In this way, I am constantly seeking ways to contribute to an understanding of how language about a topic can visually communicate and inspire thought, change, provoke, and cause action. Most recently, I have been caretaking and, in doing so, reflecting on life from an older perspective, considering how our everyday actions are art. The act of caretaking is, in fact, a profoundly creative process. The medical field presents the ultimate challenge of problem-solving. I am looking to create a piece around the need for women to take care of themselves and how our bodies and minds rapidly decline when we are not actively in caretaking mode.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Explore, learn, be obsessed, and don’t ask others to do the work for you. It’s okay to be upset, to feel not okay, to be lonely, and to experience all the emotions. Take those feelings and use them—don’t hide them, don’t suppress them, and don’t deny them. Keep moving forward. A friend once told me, “Speak the truth and speak it quickly.” Learn how you learn, and don’t stop trying to figure it out. I know I learn kinesthetically and visually, and I constantly have to advocate for myself in understanding others and the world. The world is still structured for a select few, not everyone. Speak up, ask questions, be kind, and in your kindness, strive to change something!

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I hope to create an installation and performance piece for my next piece around caretaking and creativity. I am looking for a non-traditional space to develop the work and a team of individuals who want to explore movement, action, performance, visual art-making, and writing together. I have been a teacher for 30 years, and every creation contains an element of teaching and providing a platform for education, so I see a significant opportunity for curriculum development here as well.

My happy place is collaborating with other creatives who enjoy dreaming big, love research and investigation and are willing to get messy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jkdesigns.info
• Instagram: Jamie Kough
• Facebook: Jamie Kough
• Linkedin: Jamie Kough
• Youtube: Jamie Kough

Image Credits

Mathew Sam/ Kris Kough/ Mya Kough