We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jina Imani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jina below.

Hi Jina , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My first encounter in my adult life where I knew I had a desire to pursue an art path was when I began creating more at home masque for self care and practicing more meditation as a way to reintegrate and ground myself in my body. I was diagnosed with CPTSD and Depression/Anxiety Disorder and just beat Cervical Cancer. I was experiencing a lot of dissociation with my reflection and every day presence. I made this masque of activated charcoal and honey and applied it to my face and neck while looking in the mirror, when I was done with the application I looked at myself in the eyes. At that moment I knew this represented how I’d been feeling like I was covered in darkness not knowing who I am or where I am going or why I am here. I took a picture with my phone to document the moment of deep understanding because I knew it was speaking to/through me. I proceeded to take more photos of my mirrored reflection and allowed the space for me to feel and see who I am. I took photos as I wiped off the masque, honoring the stages of my becoming. I kept looking at the photos on my phone, it’s like they were calling to me, it was a very strong pull to print them out. So I printed them out on acetate film paper because I was inspired by being able to “see through” the image. I laid them out on a sheet in my living room, they felt like they were breathing and communicating to me to share them. I got in contact with a local gallery in my town called The Artlands and asked how people go about showing their work in a gallery space. This was very intimidating to me because my concept of an artist was not me. I actually wrote and illustrated two zines that were titled “I am Not an Artist, This is my Art”, during this first incessant pull to share my creative side. The art in the zine looks very elementary in nature but it lends itself to the innocence and vulnerability that I share about my becoming and the concepts of what one can consider in their own story of becoming. So the gallery owner asked me to send him some images of what I wanted to show. I specifically asked for “a back corner space”. He reached out a couple days later and asked if I would be interested in a Solo Show in January 2020. I created these images in December of 2019, My solo show was in January 2020. Everything started to move very fast after that. I got great community support for my first showcase. It felt very surreal and amazing. I hung them like photos when you are trying to figure out a crime scene, just clips on a wall with images outlining inception to awakening. The gallerist was happy with the turnout and invited me to join the board of The Artlands and the next month I created the 1st African American Art Exhibition for Black History Month in the City of Redlands with a Proclamation from the City Acknowledging Black History Month, I co-authored the Proclamation.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jina Imani and I am an Interdisciplinary Artist. My art first sprung out of engaging in creative ways of keeping my younger siblings fed and housed. I grew up with parents who had their own mental illness as well as drug abuse. I did not have the mental space to create art as I had to take care of my siblings since I was a child. We experienced homelessness several times while growing up and had to dumpster dive for food. As an adult I had a battle with Cervical Cancer and for sometime suffered with CPTSD and Anxiety/Depression Disorder. I was in active therapy and learning ways to take care of myself. One of my creative outlets was making natural masque. That led me to make a masque of activated charcoal and honey and after applying it to my face I had a moment of awakening. I took photos of myself and asked a local gallery if I could show my work in the space. They offered me a Solo Show instead. Since showing my work I was inspired to create and curate the first ever African American Art Exhibition celebrating Black History Month for the City and co-wrote a Proclamation for the Holiday, five years in a row. I got invited to serve on the board of the gallery and was able to curate and support the gallery through fundraising, art fairs, and various events. I worked with Coachella Arts Studios to support their craft tent during Coachella. I have curated shows in Pomona, Long Beach and Redlands. I helped create the first ever celebration for Pride Month for the City of Redlands and Curate a Pride Month Exhibition. I have had the opportunity to work on murals in San Bernardino County and art installations. I served on the Cultural Art Commission Board for the City of Redlands as well being the first African American Queer Woman. I offer a unique perspective to art creation, collaboration, and curation as I am able to see the firsts (what’s missing) of things and implement frameworks from inception to fruition to enliven the city or event. My art calls me to see from different perspectives and frameworks and my work is built on the same idea. My art has led me to create a series of guided meditations and affirmations for folks who are seeking more peace in they’re thoughts and connection to they’re inner power. I have written a children’s book entitled “My Mommy Says My Hair Is Like A Plant”. It is a board book for children who are learning how to take care of their hair by attributing the same attributes to things found in nature. I have authored an art book entitled “The HeArt of Me” . It contains my poetry and artwork. I have written two Zines entitled “I am Not an Artist, This is My Art” Volume 1 & 2. My poetry and art has been published in About Place Journal and Variable West Digital Publication. I love creating in various forms as I am a multifaceted being.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The impact of connecting to my creative self has been a daily reward. I understand more of myself and I now have a framework of how to communicate in a way that is more than words. I create and it feels like meditation, I am deeply centered and I can hear my true self clearly., the perceived boundaries vanish when I am creating. Art is one of the most freeing experiences I have encountered. My art is free flowing. I work by making collages of images that I have created until I see something I connect with, it becomes multiple points of connections because I adorn my face in natural pigments and then create collages from those images. I rarely know what I will make in the beginning and I love that aspect because everything in my life has become so defined and categorized and it can feel confining for me. As my brain works in visual format and being on the spectrum it can be a challenge to communicate in the regular everyday language sometimes. Art is my preferred language. I also love meeting so many talented, creative humans. I love learning about artists and their creative journeys. I love creating spaces of support for these unique individuals. At shows, exhibitions, fairs and community event. It is important to support and uplift those around you because that is how we grow as a community, this is not an individual pursuit.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to represent vulnerability as a strength not a weakness. Deep introspection, reflection and the see through to nature of everything. Feeling your feelings is a power and you can learn so much from them. Where once I saw blocks I can now see through to the otherside, another frame or no frame at all. My work is representation and insight into quantum realms, self-reflection, self- acceptance, inner being connection, meditation, breath work, sound integration, and energetic nature of becoming. These concepts drive my pieces forward, I am always learning and growing. I love the connection formed from sharing my art and the new layers that I learn from hearing a different perspective. It all contributes to the collective good in our evolution.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: jinaimani

Image Credits
Jina Imani