We recently had the chance to connect with Jolee Mallmann and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jolee, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Working on any sort of art project is the best way for me to not only lose track of time but also to lose touch with reality. I enjoy painting, drawing and working with clay. When I finally have the time to make physical artwork between photo shoots, film sets and more “important” projects that take up a lot of my time, I really sink deeply into the practice of creating again. Working on clay sculptures or practical art piece helps me to conceptualize ideas in a different way. The hours I spend on one single project is also hours of quiet contemplation and thinking; it’s a meditation time to create one thing while thinking about something new at the same time.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jolee and I am a multidisciplinary artist living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I work full-time in non-profit film and spend my spare time working in local film and television. I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker my entire life. I’ve been able to take that passion from an inaugural senior class documentary in High School through a Radio-TV-Film degree and into a career full of film festivals, independent films and experimental media. I believe independent, original and genuine work speaks above anything that is based around showing off an impressive budget.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was younger, a comment I received often from teachers was the classic, “They’re very talkative!” A lot of adults in my life really took that as a need for attention. Comments about my behavior, my personality traits being attention-seeking rather than playful or comedic. Assertions that I was always looking for attention and there was certainly something wrong with that. I used to believe that and I would become so annoyed with myself for the more… “theatre kid” tendencies I possessed.
It’s not that anyone was necessarily incorrect. I did love attention but there was also nothing inherently wrong with that. I see now that I needed to be looking for the right attention. I do love to perform; comedy creeps its way into so many of my projects and I am generally unafraid to be on camera. I think it was always about channeling that desire to perform and make people laugh in the right way and not meeting things with shame in the first place.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
I am in my own head a lot, overthinking and rethinking just to make sure. The last several conversations where I’ve been able to breathe easier after were all at the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee. I work from the theatre sometimes and especially during winter when it’s already impossible to leave my house, I am so thankful for every conversation I have in that historic cinema. Specifically, I think I could talk to Ryan Putskey or Malik Riddle for hours on end, forgetting what time it is inside the theatre, because of course the lighting is always the same.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I think the public version of myself is only as real as I want it to be on any given day. I want to represent myself with confidence because I have pride in the work I do as an artist. At the same time, I’m not above being embarrassed and awkward, or showing my inherently human self. It’s kind of like that public story vs private story thing. Within smaller social circles, I am definitely more silly, goofy and open, but I still like to be honest with my public image.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
The two times I really feel the most at peace revolve around movies, of course.
When I am in a theatre, from the moment the lights go down for trailers, something goes off in my brain and I am transported. I love theaters for that very reason. When I watch a movie at home it’s so easy to be pulled out of that film’s universe and get sucked back into my phone or something else. In a theatre I am just there. I don’t think about my own life, I don’t worry about my own day; I am there.
Similarly when I get on a film set, specifically about a week or so in when everyone starts vibing with each other, I feel totally in the moment and at peace. When you’re able to work with people in their element and everyone lets each do what they know best, there is really no better environment. Truly, it all stops becoming work and it starts becoming all of those daydreams you had about filmmaking while you were in class. Now we’re just big kids tellings stories on set with expensive toys.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.peachteaphotographyfilm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jolee.jpg/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joleemallmann/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peachteaphotographyfilm
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Joleejpg
Image Credits
Jocelyne Berumen.
Joe Shea.
Rodney Johnson.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
