We recently connected with Jordan Brooks and have shared our conversation below.
Jordan, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Honestly, I am not sure if that is a feeling that truly goes away. I believe the key is reflection and appreciation combo with understanding of one’s neuroplasticity. Being aware of one’s lows and highs and how to adjust especially when you have more than one project. Being able to adapt, to allow your brain to really react and respond is the goal of neuroplasticity. Not thinking I’m not that kind of caliber or artist or stress that money can bring expectations, there are markers, or achievements that most serious artist will hit on their professional journey. Not every artist is published or even cares to be exhibited. Each artist has to figuring out what their true expectations are, where their focus is really. Are you focused towards galleries, commercial work, or freelancing for a certain kind of industry. I think defining what those are for your self will help you define your creative success moving towards the future, being able to project it a way that’s not just about feelings but resume.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve lived in Topeka and partial raised in Lawrence, Kansas most of all my life. Heavily influenced from the campus of KU and an older under lining hippie vibe of that area, my surroundings have affected a lot of my artistic purpose, to inspire and create. My website has allowed me to display my own mix of academic design with my own modern, conceptual, provocative socially conscious though drive. In 2011 I had my first international group exhibition at the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was honored to become a part of their permanent collection with “Gallery of Hearts”. This only inspired me to move forward! In 2013, I was blessed to be a part of 100 international contemporary artists from all over the world in my first New York exhibition in Historical downtown Harlem. “Power of perception” was the publication produced by this inspiring collection. In 2015 I was honored by my local city (TOPEKA,KANSAS) by becoming the 10th annual Aaron Douglas Artist of the Historical Aaron Douglas Art fair! It was surreal, but a dream to be acknowledged or referred to a childhood hero of mine, but only inspired me to move forward. You can often find me at my (public art Space @ Amused Art Gallery located in Topeka’s growing Art district N.O.T.O.) From every Art-walk(First-Friday) too where I teach creative drawing lessons weekly! Stop by and visit (907 North Kansas Ave.) in N.O.T.O.! I am working on a new mini collective of paintings and more importantly a number of illustration projects all written & designed by me that I am so freaking excited about!!!!! (Illustration page) It is amazing to be a proud recipient of 2018 International Raffaello Award Curated by Salvatore Russo & Francesco Saverio! These recent international/national and local achievements have only intensified my excitement for so much more. In 2018 I was selected to be one of 31 artists to contribute to Artsconnect’s Brown Vs Board Mural project (Topeka,KS) Located north of the National parks Brown Vs Board Education Museum. It’s been a pleasure to work on carrying out the vision of Michael Toombs and his amazing supportive Kansas City artisans. Support for NOTO arts center and Shawnee county parks, I have had the pleasure of having my own mural Located in NOTO’s Veteran park walkway. In mid 2021 a random public art piece was lucky enough to capture national attention inspired by BLACK LIVES MATTER, inspired by the killing of “George Flody”. I couldn’t take it so I painted a piece on an abandoned building that was picked up by the news and published with many beautiful human messages in USA TODAY.COM. It’s nice to have your expressions embraced by the community and beyond! I am currently working on a new project“What Black America Means to Me” collective of art & short writings as well as my first children’s book illustrated and written by me. I am hoping for a late 2024 release titled “The Artist Who Found His Colors”. After going to Europe for the first time this summer with my family. I feel very inspired to create, as if my DNA was coming home to ROME for future momentum. It has been icing on the Cake to also be blessed to be a 2023 “Zeus” award recipient thanks to ACCADEMIA ITALIA IN ARTE NEL MONDO ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE support! My goal with art is many aspects I have achieved already as a very young raw powerful talent. Getting national and international attention and awards. From painting commercial and community murals too getting into European Art exhibits blessed through my beautiful Italian support. This all inspires me to get better and more efficient at. I think the greatest artist aren’t just artist but great at other titles that may use design and elements of the fine artwork calculated into the day-to-day business world. That may be simple graphic design, coding or even creative writing. I have been lucky too touch base with few creative local and international industries that believe in my creative voice on all aspects. Maybe its because its how I take my time to present myself, which means I share my frustrations as well. I think people like hearing no matter how talented you are, how human you are matters a little more. At least with the best creative partnerships I have had so far, seeing how serious I take things has allowed people to believe in me more. I just want to see myself being consistently happy as well as consistently producing engaging creative art, my ultimate goal into 2024 and beyond.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Believing in one artistic journey has got to be a number one quality when perusing the arts. It gets hard to sale or showcase your talents if you don’t believe in it first! Another important skill is finding likeminded creators AKA MENTORS in the game you’re interested in play creatively. These are living inspirations that can come to teach you in real time through their past experiences as an artist if they choose to trust you. Hopefully making generation mentor connects will lead to different experiences of disciplines. The third is for sure having some measure of discipline or in other words practice what you preach about. Following through with your artistic plans or events or even just practices. Getting better is the goal, always! Learning how too use your failures to move forward is something all my mentors talk about but in their own aspect.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client would energize me with sharing their vision. I mean where any job or project being willing to collaborate perspectives together really! Alot of the times I think with good communication in the creative process things become very easy. I think the best is entering that work-flow-state. This is a where ideas flow from both sides’ equality and respectfully. But in a commercial work and design clients sometimes the best thing you can ask for, is too be the worker with a possibility complicated dreamers having the main focus just be about finishing the work done on time and being paid right away! I think most artist like any other profession will run into jobs/clients that aren’t the easiest to work with but sometimes that could be a part of the challenge as a creative professional that separates your representation from others. to project success you can be when resources are invested into your collaborations.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jordanebrooks.org
- Instagram: jordan_e_brooks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KansasArtistJEB/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jordan-brooks-70a23132
Image Credits
Jordan E. Brooks
