We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jazlyne Sabree. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jazlyne Sabree below.
Jazlyne Sabree, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Being a black woman navigating the art world has put me in many situations where I was the only one in the room who looks like me. I can remember the first time being while studying abroad in Italy. It was an incredible culture shock but I think that experience taught me how to be comfortable with who I am and in my own skin. From that time there have been many moments where I was the only one in the room who looks like me but I’ve made peace with who I am and am comfortable showing up as myself no matter who is in the room. I’ve learned that if people are meant to be in your life the vibe will be there and if they’re not meant to be in your life then they won’t. This is not so much about what they look like but about how their heart is, how they treat you, because at the end of day everyone in these rooms is human and there is nothing that needs to separate us. Social constructs aren’t real divides, they are created divides. It’s important for everyone in the room to understand and accept that and do the work of being inclusive. That’s what it comes down to.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Jazlyne Sabree Wooden is a New Jersey based artist specializing in contemporary art. She has been creating artwork since early childhood as a way to cope during a tumultuous upbringing. Her artwork has always been a place of dialogue, refuge ,and healing through all of life’s storms. She has persevered through childhood trauma, assault, and witnessing the impacts of the criminal justice system on her family. The art has been her solace through it all.
The figurative works are birthed out of Jazlyne’s life experiences with themes of social justice, peace, and healing. Jazlyne aims to not only create aesthetically beautiful paintings but to combine this with subjects and ideas that influence society and enact social change.
Jazlyne Sabree received her Bachelors in art from Clark Atlanta University, an HBCU in Atlanta, GA where she studied art and journalism. She then went on to become an art educator, returning to college to receive her Masters in Art Education from Boston University. She is a recipient of the Clark Atlanta University Art Guild Award as well as the Linda Lora Pugliese Award for Excellence in Art Education. Additionally, she has been featured on platforms such as WHYY, And several podcasts. She has exhibited with many esteemed artists such as Justin Randolph Thompson and Lavett Ballard and is currently exhibiting across the US east coast. Most recently she has been awarded artist residencies that she completed in Monrovia, Liberia and Ilhabela, São Paolo, Brazil and has her work in the permanent collection of Museu de Waldemar Belisário, Ilhabela, São Paolo, Brazil. She has an exhibition approaching in May of 2024 at the Daisha Board Gallery in Dallas, Texas.
My artwork is a narrative of the lived experiences of black people and the black diaspora from past to present. I aim through my work to debunk stereotypes that continue to persist and affect the livelihood of black people as a social group, particularly in America. Growing up I’ve witnessed my father being chased by police at gunpoint, my 13 year old older brother be detained because he “fit the description”, and have experienced mistreatment due to the color of my skin. I aim to discuss such topics in my work. Often times my artwork addresses these pertinent issues with great bitterness and other times I address them with sweet celebration of the beauty, uniqueness, and resilience of the black people.
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?
I think the three most important qualities/skills/areas for me have been faith, social skills, and a love of learning or willingness to learn. I am a huge introvert, I always have been so I get incredible anxiety around other humans and in crowds. This is a trait that I’ve learned to push past especially in my time as a teacher. Faith is a must have in the art world there must be a deeply intrinsic feeling that things will work out and then the love of learning will help to put works to that faith. You have to learn everything you can about how to be successful and can’t just wait for knowledge and opportunities to come to you.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My collectors are those humans who recognize and understand their humanness. They deeply connect with the paintings I’m making because they speak from a place of the African diasporic experience, and they understand that everyone is complicit in that experience. They also connect to some of the deeper spiritual messages in the work that connect us in our shared human experience. They are those who are more enlightened and are most times engaged in some way with social activism and healing philosophies.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jazlynesabree.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jazlynesabree
