Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Merc Jane. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Merc, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
I keep creativity alive by being present in life as much as possible. Life experience gives me the ability to be immersed into layers of thoughts that bring inspiration and ideas.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hello 🙂 My name is Mercedes, I go by Merc Jane. I am a Mom first, Dancer, Photographer, and Actress. I started my creative artist journey through dance at the age of 4. When my family and I immigrated to Canada from Germany, dance was my main source of expression in a new country with a new language. Dance allows me to express empathy and freedom through movement and sound. I can see how including the art of dance can help curate brilliant ideas that layer on with other aspects of art, like music or movies.
The art of film and movies really hold a special place in my world. It really cultivates the meaning of vision and sentiment. It rounds out all of my favorite versions of art together into one. Movies invite me in for good company and I leave with an opinion and inspiration to create. It honestly fulfills me. That part can be powerful when I have an artistic block. It could be from a simple edit I saw on a show or something that brings the block down.
It became apparent to me with age, children, and life experience.. Music is a key component to art as a whole. I think it hugs all the arts and sees it soar or fail, like a captain of a team. Regardless of the outcome, music is your friend.
Diving deeper into a closer view within art is the support from the community. Taking the time to get to know who’s in your community is my driving force on what it means to get involved and collaborate. Art isn’t something I just do, it’s something I am, too. Including others and supporting local talent events is part of that effort. With all that, brought my dear friend Julie Bwanka to push me to see that using Photography and Videography (that I did for fun because it was “its art” and flexible with kids) to create an outlet that has commitment and creative expression. It got me thinking how this chapter with kids now, really pivoted my courage to believe art is also flexible like a blank canvas.
Tying that all in with what I’ve done and tried, into seeing what I could encapsulate through the lens with what some say is a ‘click of a button’, it shows you what I see from the windows of my soul. Sounds cliché, but true! – haha. I love photography. Every part of it. It’s patience with me and in turn, I create with peace.
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?
Hmm.
1. AMBITION
Doing something meaningful means I have to do it with intention.
2. PREP AND PRESENT
Study, research, and make notes. When it’s show time, like on set.. it’s no more thinking about it, it’s about doing it and you have to be present to catch those moments that sparkle or you’ll miss it.
3. PEOPLE
If it wasn’t for the folks that passed through my life and the ones that are in my life, I wouldn’t be able to measure the value of art the way that I do now.
All three things that I continue to educate and research in.
BIG SHOUT OUTS
@coalitionmediahouse is a creative collective of artistic talents.
@onedancecentre is the place to dance your heart out.
@newyorkfiomacademy for an experience of a lifetime.
@jillisalynn for nominating me, love you and thank you so much. xo
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am a message away.
@mercedington
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mercedington
Image Credits
@gracevisuals @marshalls.worldx @mercedington
