We recently connected with Jessie Burns and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Am I happier as an artist or creative? It’s the 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 for me. I went from working 9-5 jobs and wishing I could adequately express myself, to having a substantial lil’ bit of income and revenue coming in, or at least enough to pay a bill or two a month.

I’ve often wondered whether or not it would be easier to have a conventional job, but the fact of the matter is — music and creativity have, and continue to provide for me in moments when the conventional infrastructure 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦.

I’ve held down job after job after cookie-cutter routine job, all to have the companies fail and fall under piss-poor management, lack of accountability, and unchecked pride + ego. The one constant? The art.

I ponder this notion a lot lately, particularly in reference to working my actual “day job” at a natural food market. I’m often asked and looked at as though I’ve had some strange fall from grace, because I ended up back at this particular job after a ten year hiatus of working there, leaving and returning.

The short answer and the truth of the matter is this: this particular job has allowed for me to grow my sense of being, creativity, and my art ten-fold — not to say that every job will do this — but if utilized properly, it could.

I see on an average of 100-200 people a day, and I create the dynamic of which they conduct themselves and depart from my environment. I have worked in this particular job off and on for ten years – across twenty years – and I watch day in and day out as people under-utilize this station and position to their disadvantage.

My take on it is this — every “customer” or interaction of patronage is an opportunity to connect and share whatever it is that you do and you are passionate about. Every person almost every day will ask ‘How are you doing?’ or give an opportunity for you to talk about “What you’re up to today…” 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑰𝑺 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑬 𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑬!

Connect with what that person is saying and get excited about what it is they do, and what it is that YOU are excited to do. Don’t just give some boring @$$ ho-hum answer of “Ohhhhhhh, I’m just hangin’ out…”

Talk about that movie/show you enjoy watching so endlessly. Let them see your excitement about the art and music you enjoy making. Get enchanted about that style of dance that you engage in or the unique way of which you express yourself or spend your time extracurricularly — I promise this will make you feel better, and it may even change your life and lead to other opportunities as it has for me!

Jessie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Jessie Burns AKA Burns 2 AKA Jesster617, co-founder of the 2x San Diego Music Award Winning Hip-hop Group, The Brothers Burns – as well as co-founder of Jesster Artworx: Fine Art, Gaming and Multimedia. I am a professional live performer, artist, musician, gamer, community organizer, activist, and a “modern day renaissance man” as few have referenced.

I got into the industry out of the interest of helping my brother grow as a creator, and most successfully catapulted to local stardom by collaborating with other artists, growing each others projects side-by-side as often as we could.

In a musical sense – we are contemporary hip-hop artists with an old school twist – fusing lyricism, beatboxing, turntablism, dancing, and live performance in an effort to entertain, engage, and connect with our local comm(unity.)

From an artistic sense – we are illustrators, fine art exhibitors, and media creators/consumers – that enjoy all types of extracurricular activities, as well as integrating all aspects of what we do to often create a fun and interesting social commentary. (and most times just downright have some fun!)

We work to enrich and encourage local marginalized communities to band together, utilize their creative and extracurricular skills, celebrate and understand each others differences, and come together in an effort to create a better understanding and atmosphere for all to thrive.

We have created an entire brand based off of what we refer to as “The Human Element”, which in a nutshell equates to direct, unbridled, human connection. It’s been far more potent than any flier, social media post, reel, or paid ad.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think they can buy direct from those artists, and put their money where their mouth is. Small business owners don’t have the support of major conglomerate companies, and often resort to doing 90% of the work themselves to alleviate any stresses and expenses from outside assistance.

In that – we don’t have the major budgets and margins that a lot of these companies do.

See something you like? 𝐁𝐔𝐘 𝐈𝐓! Can’t afford it – share it with someone else who might like it. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain – by helping someone else grow their craft and share their creativity.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of what I do is being able to give back to the local community in some form or another.

Whether it’s teaching transitional aged youth to find their voice in their creative abilities so that they become less self-destructive, raising funds for the first Water Polo League in Ghana Africa, or building awareness and raising funds for issues surrounding suicide prevention and homelessness in our city — we do it all, and our grateful to be able to lend our skills to such causes.

It’s one thing to be able to show up in a scene and showcase your talents. It’s a whole different kind of gratifying gift to be able to lend yourself to a cause outside of you, and to use those skills towards bettering someone else’s life and situation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/jessterartworx
• Instagram: @Jesster617
• Facebook: Jesster Artworx – Fine Art, Gaming, & Multimedia/The Brothers Burns
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jesster617
• Other: https://thebrothersburns.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits

Studio X Photography

Rob Deez