Meet Jessica Kelly | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Kelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor for success is to be consistent and to have confidence in yourself. Success starts with your mindset and how you view yourself. If you believe in what you’re doing , you will be successful. I have become a successful Artist by truly believing in the craft and also respecting the craft. On my life journey, I found out that Art is a tool for success and a tool for wellness. As a child, I remember having vivid dreams filled with color and movement that would later inspire me to create illustrations from dreams. This was the beginning of my art journey. Soon after, I beginning creating more illustrations but this time of my environment around me. I became heavily influenced and inspired by my culture, natural environments, and even animals to create pieces of works the incorporated elements of all three. As I continued through life, I became known as the “Art Girl” because every time someone saw me I was either painting/drawing or carrying around my artwork. Because art was natural for me, my brand was an authentic reflection of who I am as a person. As I grew into my adulthood, I realized that I can create art and Im a piece of Art within myself. I sometimes think of myself as a canvas and I’m able to express my creativity and skill through my fashion, nails, hair and makeup. By being my authentic self, I have built a brand centered around creativity, wellness and self love. My brand has continued to grow through the different platforms I use to showcase my art. I have had the pleasure to have my work shown and recognized by Film Directors, Actors, Curators, Educators, Musicians, and Publications Internationally and locally. I’m excited to continue this journey as an Artist and I look forward to using my gift as a creative for the betterment of the community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My Artwork is centered around the connectivity between humans and nature. My Art resembles the beauty of African culture. I create positive images of Black people that are intermingled with the stories of our experiences. Experiences that should be remembered and respected. Unfortunately, a lot of history is being revoked from the history books today, but my responsibility as an Artist is to retell those stories through art. I create art that people can relate to and understand around the world. My art is very personal, I put my energy into it. I want people to feel my emotions through the vibrancy of the colors and the depth of the subject matter that I am creating.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my friend was coming into town we would have a blast! The first thing we would do is start the day at Starbucks of course! After that we would go to an Art gallery or paint in the park or at a botanical garden. Next we would grab lunch. I love all almost all food so the sky is the limit! Next we might go to an arcade and play some interactive games while our food digest. Lastly we would grab something sweet from the local cheesecake or desert shop.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to recognize all the people who supported my journey as an Artist. The people who kept me grounded and supported me in hard times. I would like to thank my spiritual team, a few family members, my professors and mentors for supporting and guiding me along this journey. With of your love and support, I have been able to flourish as an Artist while helping others do the same along the way. This process has shown me the importance of a strong community. At the end of the day, people need people. This world would be a better place if we were more empathetic, loving, and supportive of each other. I dedicate my life to serving my community through giving back the knowledge I have gain from my teachers in life. If one of us win, then we all WIN!!!!

Website: Jessicakelly.art

Instagram: @Jesskelly23