Meet Kel Jordan

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

Kel, 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?

As an artist with multiple autoimmune diseases, it’s easy to give in and give up if I want to. It’s even expected from time to time. My resilience comes from knowing that something will always go wrong, because when I know it will happen, I am prepared. When I’m prepared, I can pivot without being self-critical. I began painting to manage my stress and process my pain. Painting allows me space to feel my feelings, not matter how big or small, dark or light. It allows me to express my physical pain to the fullest and allows me to connect to others, even when I cannot leave the house. My resilience comes from not being afraid to fail and knowing that I am loved fully even when my body fails me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a contemporary Southwest artist working mainly in abstracts and abstract figurative art. My art focuses on embracing chaos and movement while bridging the gap between chronic pain and God’s beauty. Art is therapy for my autoimmune conditions. I love that I can wake up each day with a vision of a new painting. I don’t understand it, but just embrace it and it heals me, encourages me, and pushes me forward.

I absolutely love to switch from abstracts to figurative and back again. My recent collection of abstracts, “Expressions” focused purely on expressing emotion and the fullness of summer joys. I just released a collection of latitude paintings showing community connection through the weaving of the streets and the flow of the paint from one neighborhood to the next. One of the paintings can currently be viewed in the Santa Paula Art Museum.

What I am really excited about is my next collection for a solo show in February which will be focused on abstract figurative horses. The horses symbolize the transformation from holding back and never letting myself truly be who I knew I always was – an artist. Now I’m claiming it and showing my journey of self-discovery, my strength, and the beauty I always knew existed inside me through this collection. I hope it will encourage others to find their own strength and see their beauty.

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?

Understanding your craft is one of the most important skills you need as any kind of artist. To fully understand what your tools are capable of allows you to experiment and find the art that truly represents you. Whether it’s a camera or a paint brush, get to know your tools!

Create a schedule, stick with it, allocate your time for the actual priorities in life, and be okay with failure. I am a classic overachiever so I will book my day solid with must-do tasks. I often forget that tasks are endless. I constantly remind myself to celebrate what I did accomplish, reschedule the rest, and don’t be too hard on myself when I fail.

Lastly, add a little bit a positivity to each day- this is something you must choose. Celebrate the wins and don’t forget to have fun. I love to create and experiment without judging myself. I laugh at myself everyday and let the little things slide. Life is worth living, so I focus on the good things, acknowledge the rest and move forward knowing that if the worst thing that could happen is not so bad, then I will be okay not matter what. I have found that this positive outlook can change even the worst day into something not so bad.

How would you describe your ideal client?

I love to create commissioned pieces for people who want textured Southwest art with an earthy color palette. Large scale paintings taller than me are my favorite, especially if it’s of your horse, favorite Oak tree or a cowboy painting of you.

I’ve been a portrait photographer for 20 years photographing ranchers from Portland to Los Angeles, I love to take photos of my clients/of their horses before I ever step in front of a canvas. I look for real moments where I can connect through my lens. Then I translate the photos into art. I am currently taking these type of commissions in the Central to Southern California area and abstract commissions throughout America.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://keljordanart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keljordanart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keljordanart/

Image Credits

All images taken by Kellianne Jordan or Caleb Jordan.