We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Schulman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, 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?
It’s always in the seconds after finishing a painting, something I’ve poured an immense amount of energy into, that I get the feeling I will never be creative again. I’ve come to accept that no matter how much art I’ve created in the past, there will always be a moment where it feels like my art production can only fit into a defined space. Getting over this hurdle is an exercise in faith really. I keep creativity alive because I have that blind belief in myself. I like to practice intentionally making bad art when I need to to take some of the pressure off. Sometimes this leads to something I actually like, but most often I just need to clear the cache in my brain to move forward.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As a fine artist who specializes in oil painting, I like to paint surrealistic scenes that utilize heavily saturated color. I am obsessed with how the human form exists in space, and how that space exists in the first place. I take influences of architecture, natural spaces, and my poor spatial memory to create landscapes that operate closer to dreamscapes. I take the idea that particle physics are analogs to astrophysics to play around with the idea that we are analogs to parallel sentient beings. I’ve been able to show my work in several spaces this year with the goal to expand that even further. This coming year I have a group show planned for September at the AVA Gallery in downtown Chattanooga. I also sell my work in more affordable ways for all incomes on my website through reproductions of my paintings, commissioned portraits, and stickers.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Community, consistency, and being able to take risks are all great muscles to train for any sort of success. Try as I might, I cannot create art in a vacuum. It took getting to know other artists in my area to start seeing my work in galleries and in front of art-viewing audiences. Putting myself out there is not my strong suit but it is something I can work on if I apply myself (which is where the risk-taking comes into play). Consistency applies to several avenues, not just in creating art on a regular schedule, but in other aspects of my career. I’d recommend understanding what best works for you in order to be able to set goals, follow through, and complete those goals. I’ve been through possibly thousands of planners at this point that never worked until I decided to just make my own. It’s still a work in progress, but I’ve seen more productivity out of myself with a chaotic self-made planner that suits me and a good old fashioned timer.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is split between an individual and a gallery. I love the idea of one art-loving person who needed my work enough to purchase it, but I am also interested in a contemporary gallery that would allow several people to be able to enjoy my work. I’d love to be represented by a gallery in a larger city that has the ability to attract audiences that are receptive to my kind of work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessdoesart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicask.art
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessdoesart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-schulman309/
- Other: jessdoesart.bsky.social
