Meet Janice Fried

We recently connected with Janice Fried and have shared our conversation below.

Janice, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

It took many years of trial and error to feel truly resilient and I still consider myself a work in progress.
I believe in living one day at a time as much as possible. As it has been said, dwelling in the past can bring on depression and living in the future can cause anxiety. Keeping a balance and staying as much in the present as possible is the only way for me.

I have had many challenges as a parent of a child with substance disorder but it was through that experience that I learned and grew into a more emotionally capable person. When, last year I had to deal with the deaths of both my parents, a favorite uncle, my brother in law, a few friends and my job, the ability to live one day at a time became crucial to my being able to move forward each day.

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 don’t know where I would be without a creative outlet. The ability to put marks on paper or use needle and thread or make a collage is the best coping method for me in difficult times. My subject matter often looks calm and peaceful but that’s part of the therapeutic value for me.

Mixed media allows me to add texture in a way that other methods do not. My late mother was also a mixed media artist and I have been using bits and pieces of her collected materials like rust and buttons and natural forms to create new works. It allow me some relief from the grieving process and it honors her to be able to incorporate them into my own pieces.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

As a visual artist, I think the most important skills to develop are observation, imagination and embracing mistakes.

Observation: It’s necessary to stop and look at the world around you, above you and below you. Lift your head from the temptation of the phone unless you are taking photos of things that inspire you. Breathe in deeply and listen mindfully.

Imagination: Let yourself dream and drift.

Embracing your mistakes: People in their early artistic journeys have a tendency to want perfection in what they do but often the mistakes are much more interesting. It takes the observation and the imagination to look at the “mistake” and find a creative way to work with them.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

I was very lucky to come from a very loving, curious and creative family. Everyone did and does something creative. It was encouraged and supported.

My parents taught my brother and I how to be observant of and respectful to our environment. My father thought it was important to travel and learn about history and the natural world. My mother taught us to look at things in creative ways…to this day, every walk I take becomes a treasure hunt. I might pick up an interesting piece of lacy rust or beautiful leaf or stick or some discarded piece of something. I am always stuffing things into my pockets much to my husband’s chagrin.

My parent’s love and support of each other as well as to my brother and I remains the deepest part of myself. It impacted all aspects of my life. I was extremely fortunate to have them as parents and role models.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://janicefried.com
• Instagram: Janice Fried Illustration
• Other: Blog:
  https://janicefriedillustration.wordpress.com

Image Credits

All images ©Janice Fried