We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jesse Perry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jesse below.
Jesse, so great to have you with us and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the community. So, let’s jump into something that stops so many people from going after their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. We’d love to hear about how you dealt with that and persisted on your path.
I persist in spite of the haters and nay-sayers. Their negativity drives me forward and pushes me harder than even positive reinforcement. I remember telling my mother that I was going to college to focus on art. She begged me not to and told me I would starve if I took the artist path. That pushed me harder than anything else in my life to gain success as an artist. Now my mother fully supports my career decision and actively helps me make connections, but it took a certain level of dedication, and success, on my part to achieve that reverence.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ, I have developed my style around the scenes and creatures that surrounded me as I grew up. Initially I believed the desert was as dead as anyone else. It wasn’t until I looked a little closer at my environment, that I began to see the plethora of colors and diversity of life all around me. Coupled with my love of street art, I marched forward with bright, bold, colorful, imagination filled images, full of creative characters and elements of the Southwest that has become what I am known for.
As an artist, my goal is to inject a sense of wonder and whimsy into the world around me and transform ordinary locations into destination locations where people’s imaginations can flourish as they discover something new. Basically, I just want to bring more color in to the world.
In order to do that, I have had to diversify and expand my platforms in order to reach a wider audience. This includes painting live at festivals/events, teaching classes, painting commissioned art, digital design, website development, merchandising and partnerships. All of which are in line with my goal, which is connecting as many people with my work as possible and bringing a little more color in to their lives.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
There are a great deal of qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that have affected me as a creative. However, there are a few that I hold in esteem over others.
The first is my willingness to learn and my understanding that as humans, we never cease leaning. For example, I recently purchased an iPad and learned Procreate which has become a vital part of my process.
The second is self trust. I have listed to my gut and stayed true to myself despite being told otherwise. This does not mean that I do not take criticism or advice, or ask for help when I need it. But it does mean that I listen to that passionate little voice inside me that tells me the impossible is possible.
The third is relationships. The old adage goes: it’s not what you know, it’s who you know… and there is lots of truth to that statement. Developing relationships with my clients often leads to more work, or refences to neighbors, family, friends, business partners, etc. Word of mouth is still king in our world despite our ever expanding digitally connected world.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The number one challenge in life at the moment is balance. I have always found this difficult throughout my career simply due to the nature of being a creative… our minds never turn off. This however, can be a hinderance. I have discovered that if I reserve some time for myself to do other things, I can return to my studio more refreshed and more motivated to work. This can include travel, cooking, working out, playing games, reading, or whatever. The point is, don’t work until you burn yourself out. Enjoy the things you enjoy.
Contact Info:
- Website: shinethruart.com
- Instagram: @mrdowntownphx
- Youtube: youtube.com/jesseperryart
