Meet Jake Kenobi

We were lucky to catch up with Jake Kenobi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jake, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?

It was overcoming my worst bout of depression. When I was able to look back on things, I realized how much pain I hid from everyone in my life. From there it dawned on me that everyone does that to some extent, giving me immense empathy for the hidden struggles. While depression is still a part of my life, I’m able to ride those waves so much better thanks to an incredible therapist and a new, empathetic outlook.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a self-taught painter & mixed media artist born & raised in Minneapolis, MN, currently based in Bend, OR, working under the moniker Spring Break Jake. Using the inevitability of death as motivation to explore the inner oceans of mental health, my work focuses on creating physical representations of our often tumultuous yet hidden minds. The underlying narrative throughout my work is encouraging the viewer to practice radical vulnerability in recognition that even though no one gets out of this life alive, through collective compassion we can all find paradise along the way.

My painting’s have been shown throughout the West Coast including solo shows in Bend, Portland, & Encinitas, group shows in Bend & San Francisco, and juried art fairs in Seattle, San Francisco, & Los Angeles. I was selected as one of the first Artists-in-Residence with Scalehouse Arts in Bend and participated in speaking engagements such as a panel discussion on the impact of art on health & well-being at the Reno Tahoe International Art Show, guest speaking at Oregon State University, and leading an art workshop in collaboration with the High Desert Museum. My work has also been featured in print publications such as Vanity Fair UK, British GQ, House & Garden, and Create! Magazine.

I’m super excited for upcoming solo shows at The Greenhouse Cabaret in Bend, Purple Door Gallery in Portland, & The Bunker in San Luis Obispo, as well as a group show with UHF Gallery in Los Angeles.

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?

Learn business basics, graphic design basics, and self-compassion. Skillshare is where it’s at for the first two, and the third I was able to cultivate in therapy.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am very much in the market to collaborate with a rad interior designer. Whether it’s through commissions from their clients, supplying art for staging, or offering their clients deals on originals, it would be amazing to have a mutually beneficial partnership with a contemporary interior designer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://springbreakjake.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springbreak.jake/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/springbreakjakeart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-kenobi/

Image Credits

Personal photo shot by Kait Kenobi