Meet Carol Jameson

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

Carol, thank you so much for joining us today and appreciate you talking about a sensitive topic. It’s unfortunately relevant to so many in the community as layoffs have been on the rise recently, and so we’d appreciate hearing your story and how you overcame being let go?
When I was laid off my teaching job of 10 years in Higher Ed, I was confused, devastated and angry. It was a time where I felt unwanted and without purpose. I’d put an immense amount of time (10 years) and energy into this job, working closely with students on their writing and so when the COO called me up to his office and told me I was no longer needed, I felt like someone had kicked the air out of me. Even though the layoff was ‘nothing personal’ and had nothing to do with my job performance, it took me some time before I felt like I was back on my feet.

I had SO much anger! And I didn’t know where to put it. I talked to my friends and family, but no one had ever been through something like this except my father. And he was long gone. So, what did I do?

I was painting a lot back then. Mostly watercolors of seashells and landscapes. But when I went into my studio, this medium isn’t what called to me. It was the bold colors of acrylics. I had two unused doors lying in the garage. I pulled one out and began splattering bright vivid splotches of paint on it; red, cobalt, emerald. Big angry splashes of color. It was so freeing. All of a sudden, I had someplace to put my anger. Let it out. And the doors looked ‘smashing’–pun intended. I worked on these doors for a few weeks. Adding layers of color and letting my emotions run free.

And I felt better. Of course, the problem wasn’t solved of what to do next. How to find another job. Where to get the funds to pay my bills. But after letting my anger out onto the doors, I had breathing room. I could focus on what to do next without all of the emotion coloring my resolve.

Since then, whenever I feel angry or emotional, I will take to painting. Nothing representational. I’m just emulating Joan Mitchell and Helen Frankenthaler with big sweeping abstract color.

I wonder if these women had a lot of pent-up anger or emotion, too, to create the enormous genius paintings that they did?

Visual art practice as a healer? I think so. At least for me, it was a life-saver.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I have, to be honest, had two careers: teaching and writing. While I’ve been an English instructor and tutor in Higher Ed here in the Bay Area for over 30 years, I’ve also been steadily writing stories and novels. One pays the bills. The other feeds my creative drive.

Both have been rewarding in their own ways. I do feel like I’ve touched many students over the years and helped them to become better, more confident writers. I even did a stint teaching in China where I worked with hospitality students on their English. However, it’s my writing that has fueled my purpose in life. I love to write! Especially the first creative draft.

I started writing decades ago, beginning with a creative writing course at Santa Cruz Adult Ed with Toby Kaplan. Here is where I had the space and audience to share my stories with a group that was supportive and a teacher who encouraged me. Then, I went on to Mills College where I earned an MFA in creative writing under the expert tutelage of Josephine Carson. She got me writing longer works. “Carol, I know you’re comfortable and adept at writing short fiction, but try for longer works. You can always go back to what you know.”

I started writing novels when I graduated in between teaching hours. And now 5 novels later, I have my first one to see the light of day: Adam and Leonora, a story of a surrealist artist and his three muses. This book will be published in June by She Writes Press and is the most exciting project to date with my writing. I hope to find a bevy of new readers for this book. And can’t wait to begin promoting it at readings and events. My first event is already booked at Books, Inc. in Berkeley on Jun 25.
https://www.caroljameson.com/

I’ve also been writing a blog of swimming stories for many years, Pool Purrs. These are short, mostly fun musings about what happens at the pool, but some do veer into more profound topics such as grief, love and trauma. In addition, when the Pandemic hit, I started a blog of ‘walking stories’ Walk with Cj at blogspot. These ‘walking stories’ continue even though the pandemic is (mostly) behind us. Again, they are brief, amusing slices of life that happen on my walks, but some do veer into more serious topics like the pool stories do.
https://poolpurrs.blogspot.com/
https://walkwithcj.blogspot.com/

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?
Determination. Education. Creativity.

I believe without the determination to keep at my writing, even without any ‘rewards’ of money or publication, I never would be where I am today—publishing a novel and participating in literary events. I have a stubborn streak, and I think it’s a fine line between stubbornness which can be limiting, and determination which can help you to push through and overcome obstacles.

Without the privilege of education that I’ve had, I’m not sure I’d be where I am today. Of course, my master’s degree gave me the ability to teach and while this has been a challenging way to earn a living, it has also given me the space to keep writing. I think, too, this education began at an early age with trips to the Whittier Library care of my mom and a love of reading that sparked my desire for more and more knowledge.

Finally, I have an innate drive to create. I’m not sure where this comes from. My mother is an artist and I grew up with her work, surrounded by her paintings and drawings. I also have played the piano my entire life and while this isn’t ‘creative’ in the sense that I’m beginning from nothing (I’m classically trained), I did, from an early age, have a love of the arts and wanted to create my own.

My advice to those starting out it to keep at it. No matter what others say or even how discouraged you may become. The reward may not be monetary or world fame, but the creative path is a rewarding one that can enrich your own life and the life of others.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I don’t think it’s been one person who had helped me to stay on this path of writing, but a small cluster of other writers, artists and musicians who have shown me that if you keep at it, you’ll gain success (whatever you define that as). My ex, the poet, Owen Hill, encouraged me to write when I was in my 20s. He was deep into his craft and when I whined about not being ‘creative’ he said, “Shut up and WRITE!”

I’ve done just this for over 40 years. And I have to say without Owen Hill, my teachers, Toby Kaplan and Josephine Carson, and my friends, the poets Denise Leto & Julianne Leigh, the writers Summer Brenner and Jonathan Lethem, my mother, the artist, Ruth J. Jameson, I doubt that I would be where I am today. This small group of friends has always been encouraging and enthusiastic about my writing, championing me on even when I felt like quitting.

But then that old determination (stubbornness) is strong. And I keep writing and writing and writing.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Cover of Adam and Leonora by Rebecca Lown Blue Door by Carol Jameson Carol at Piano by Ian Lambton

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