Meet Lorry Jamison

We were lucky to catch up with Lorry Jamison recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lorry, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Let’s say you’re selling some drawings at an art fair. You’re nervous. You don’t feel like you belong amongst all of these accomplished creatives, and that you stick out like a sore thumb. The panic hits you while you’re setting up your table full of prints or comics. You distract yourself by helping a nearby artist set up their own table. You start making some small talk, and they make some joke about how nervous they are to be here too. Wait, what?! That’s exactly what you’ve been thinking this whole time! How did they read your mind so accurately?!

Well spoiler alert: they didn’t. Everyone feels this exact feeling that you do. Imposter syndrome really does affect so many people, regardless of their amount of accomplishments. So ironically, your shared insecurity proves that you belong in the space you’re nervous to be in.

This exact thought process has happened to me at all sorts of past events where I’ve been promoting my artwork. And it will probably happen again and again at all sorts of events. Imposter syndrome happens when you step out of your comfort zone to achieve exactly what you’ve been wanting to achieve for so long. Imposter syndrome is a sign that you’re achieving your goals and pursuing what you’re most passionate about. So keep going, you’re doing so much better than you think.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m Lorry! I make comics and illustrations, usually with bold colors and LGBTQ+ representation. I strive to make the sort of work that my younger self needed: dynamic drawings with empowering messages behind them! I enjoy crafting stories that explore distinct genres as metaphors for different emotions, especially as they relate to queer identities.

Recently, I have launched my debut young adult graphic novel with LGBTQ+ publisher Kraven Comics! It’s called “Party Animals”, and it’s a horror-comedy house party extravaganza! When teen werewolves crash the biggest party of the school year, it’s up to two queer teens to save their classmates, while also realizing their feelings for each other! It’s “Heartstopper” meets “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and it was so much fun to bring to life.

Kraven Comics and I ran a very successful Kickstarter campaign to bring this comic to life, along with a bonus behind the scene sketchbook section and fun merchandise. The comic is available now digitally through the link below, and the print edition will be coming out very, very soon:
https://www.kraven.us/party-animals

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?
Okay, I’ve gone through my creative utility belt (think of the Batman utility belt, but with more paint stains on it). Here are three distinct skills that I can tell you more about, which would help anyone on their creative journey at any stage:

1. Ask all of the questions:
If you don’t know something, then ask! If you want to know more about something, then ask. If you just want to pick another creative person’s brain and learn how they work, then all you have to do is ask. There is no shame in admitting you don’t know something. Learning is such a fun process, and your ability will only improve because you took the initiative to connect with someone.

2. Be serious when having fun:
You are allowed to enjoy the process of creating work. It doesn’t have to be this somber, tortured-artist type of exercise. If you’re devoting all sorts of time and energy to a creative task, then you might as well have a good time! And if you enjoy making something, that will always enhance the final product.

3. Make a lot of stuff:
Keep drawing (or doing the creative thing you want to do). You will accumulate so much material and experience from starting and completing a creative process (rather than half-starting a bunch of elaborate things and losing interest in them). You develop your own creative voice and instinct by making all sorts of stuff and looking back on what you did and didn’t enjoy. Then you can make even better stuff by honing in on what resonated with you during the creative process.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Absolutely! Whether it is a small business looking for illustrative branding, or someone with an idea for a story they’ve always wanted to see drawn out, I would love to collaborate. It’s so much fun figuring out the best way to showcase an idea, and sharing that experience with another person is even better than a solo effort. Be open to new ideas in the moment, you can often surprise yourself with what comes out of a dedicated brainstorming session.

Contact Info:

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