We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacobi Roberts a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jacobi, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents were always very supportive of my creative nature from a very young age. I think having a grandmother who was a painter helped with the idea that I was following a similar path. The only rule to being an artist was not being allowed to attend an art school. When I was younger, I didn’t understand the reasoning and was very resentful. I was accepted into the Mississippi School of the Arts for 11th and 12th grade, however, my parents declined the opportunity. I then focused on creating college portfolios at a regular high school to obtain college credit. Graduating high school, I had multiple scholarships for various colleges and credits towards a degree focused in painting. Once again, my parents declined those opportunities. I was told that if I wanted to grow as an artist, I didn’t need someone telling me what to do, how to do it, or when to do it. As an artist, I would just do. Over the years I have watched several friends go through college as an artist and come out a carbon copy of the professors they were taught under – most completely changing their style and medium to fit the mold. As I have gotten older, I realize exactly what my parents were teaching me. I am grateful that I was given the supplies to create and not the criticism or boundaries on my creativity.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
For as long as I can remember, I have always been creative and producing various forms of art. In my mid 20’s, I started working for Painting with a Twist Denton in 2016 leading painting events for people with little to no experience looking for a creative escape and entertaining evening. I fell in love with working with the public and getting to put on a show while creating. A few different things happened in the first few years of being with painting with a twist, I started a family and I bought the studio. As my family grew, I realized that even though I loved working at the studio while owning it, I wanted to have more time to create MY art and more time with my children. At that time I had been taking on commissions, mostly for realistic pet portraits, but I wanted to find bigger jobs. I eventually landed a rather large mural for Eastside – a bar in Denton, Tx and since then have had the opportunity to produce many more large-scale murals. The murals have led me to work all over the state of Texas. I have since established clientele within the airbnb industry and new home staging for murals and canvas paintings. Now in my 30’s as a mom to 6 kids, I am proud that I am able to spend as much time with my children as I do and still express myself through painting. I can’t imagine ever going back to a typical 9-5 and feeling as satisfied. I truly don’t feel like I’m working when I am creating because I am doing what I love.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My main goal would be able to provide for my family without stress. To maintain success as an artist. The hardest part, in a sense, is remaining relevant. For a long time I was able to rely on word of mouth and repeat clientele for jobs. Now, I am having to learn how to find jobs and utilize social media accurately. Within this goal is being able to stay focused and inspired. I think non-creatives don’t understand that if you’re not in the right mindset, you can’t create. If I go to paint when I’m not in it, can’t provide my best, it shows. This means sometimes projects take longer than originally anticipated. As a creative, you can’t rush the process or the mindset.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Society can best support creatives by respecting our time. Not only is there the time it takes to actually complete the project, but the time it takes to plan each project. The time it has taken to perfect our craft is equivalent, in my opinion, to a surgeon perfecting their skills. I have had many run ins with people wanting art quickly, a mock up, or in a tough spot to reach- all for free. The lack of understanding on the amount of time it takes to do what a creative does can be very disheartening. On top of our time, is the toll being a creative can take on our bodies. Especially as a muralist, I put my body through a lot of strenuous positions to achieve the right detail – another skill I have had to perfect.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jacobipaints
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551070629227
