We were lucky to catch up with Jenn Johnson-Hamer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jenn, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
Being an artist is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done for myself. And giving myself permission to pursue it as a career is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I spent much of my teen and early adult years in “regular” jobs. I found them draining on every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I knew early on that that life was not for me and set about trying to find a way to make a living doing what I loved. While the road has not always been the easiest or the smoothest, what it HAS been is completely worthwhile.
I spend my days teaching private voice and piano lessons to children, teens, and adults. I help them learn the ins and outs of technique and performance, as well as help them find a creative outlet for their big thoughts and even bigger emotions. I am also a songwriter/composer, as well as an emerging writer and poet. I use that creative work to explore, process, and celebrate what it means to be human, and all the complexity and depth that comes with it.
As a Spiritual Coach, I use these creative outlets, as well as other tools and experiences, to help others connect more deeply with their inner self, process and heal through the obstacles that are holding them back from the life they’re trying to create, and ultimately find the happiness and satisfaction of honoring what’s most important to them. I find that most everyone wants to be able to be their best selves, and I try to help facilitate that in a gentle and honest way.
At the end of the day, though my journey is very non-traditional, I find myself happy and creatively fulfilled. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Jenn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi, I’m Jenn Johnson-Hamer and I am what you might call a multi-faceted spiritual artistic type. I am a singer/songwriter, a private voice and piano teacher, an emerging writer and poet, and a spiritual coach. I have been doing all of these things for pretty much my entire life: I wrote my first story when I was 6, began playing piano when I was 7, I’ve been singing ever since I discovered I had a voice to use, and have been connected with the world in a spiritual way for as long as I can remember.
In addition to lessons, original music, and my written work, I also make intentional spiritual mala bracelets and pendulums, offer intuitive readings and basic birth charts. I will soon be opening my own studio where I hope to be able to expand into a small book shop and offer additional healing gatherings such as Drum Circles, Circle Sings, and Circle Writes.
What I think sets me apart from others is my dedication to helping my students and clients discover who they are, and allowing them the space and freedom to be that person. I encourage using music and the arts to work through and process the big emotional moments of our lives, and I offer both time and space to detach from the pressures of the outside world, the buzzy day-to-day, and tune into, and listen to, our inner selves. I am most proud of when a student or client steps outside of their comfort zone and steps into what they have always wanted for themselves, whether that’s belting out a song on a stage, or finding the courage to overcome deep seated fears.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
As pretty much any artist will tell you, we are always our own worst critics. It often comes from years of battling Imposter Syndrome or being told that the work you’re doing is not or will never be good enough. As humans, we internalize so much of that kind of negativity, and as artists it can manifest in an unhealthy addiction to perfection. (Truthfully, that can happen to any of us, though I often find artists tend to make it more personal.)
I too have fought with perfection and lost. For years it held me back from pursuing things that were important to me. I was afraid that the market was saturated with things I wanted to offer, that there were already so many writers and musicians, and so many people and small businesses in the spiritual community, all trying to “make it” that it was pointless for me to even try.
But as the saying goes, “Perfect is the enemy of good,” and after some undeniable validation, I realized that my particular brand of creation and spirituality is just that… my own. I sought out my own path and my own creations because what I wanted and needed wasn’t necessarily out there. And if I was looking for it, then chances are someone else was too. My stories are worth telling because I need to write them and someone else needs to read them. My poetry and music is worth writing because if I was feeling it, then someone else is too and they need to know they’re not alone. And despite an oversaturation of presence in the spiritual community, my tools, my crafts, and my guidance are curated from my own truths and experiences. No one else can offer precisely that and, as I’ve been reminded time and again, someone out there needs it.
So eventually, I had to take a deep breath and just go for it. Stop trying to make everything perfect. Stop thinking that what I had to offer wasn’t good enough. Create what is in my heart to create, and offer the guidance I can when I can so that someone, somewhere else, can use it to help get them through. My hope is that through my work, others can feel seen and understood, and help reach a healthier and happier space.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
The hardest thing to come by as a creative is stability. You don’t have that guaranteed paycheck every week, steady health insurance, or a 401k. I’m grateful that my partner has a position that now helps provide those things for our family, but before that happened, this creative life of mine was not exactly a secure career choice. I can’t help but think of my mom who, out of parental concern, asked me so many times over the years, “But what are you going to do when you retire?”
The thing is… this life isn’t something I need to retire from. This is the kind of life that people build for themselves AFTER they retire when they have the freedom to spend time crafting and creating. I get to do that NOW. And yes, maybe it’s less consistent than the classic “9-to-5” position, but I don’t come home feeling lifeless and drained from a job that leaves me so completely unfulfilled. If you’re in a job you don’t like, even the good days aren’t great. But supporting myself through my creative endeavors allows me the space to feel whole. Even the bad days are better than spending time doing a job that I loathe. My holistic health doesn’t suffer nearly as much. It helps me be a better partner and a better parent, and ultimately a better ME.
And honestly, the stability is there… it just requires a little more hustle. A little more research. A little more effort on my part to find the opportunities and work with them. True it can be a lot some days, but for me at least, it’s always better than the alternative. And that alone makes it 1000% worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.doveandblackbird.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/doveandblackbird
- Facebook: facebook.com/doveandblackbird
- Youtube: youtube.com/@doveandblackbird
- Other: Free “Voices” newsletter signup: jjhdoveandblackbird.substack.com Album of original music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4WSM0oRioQ4CAyrq24Bg8V?si=7UPt68jmRfilt3_hWVrSkQ Now Bound Home poetry collection on Amazon: https://a.co/d/42rcvV3 Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/jjh_db
Image Credits
Amanda Duffy Jenn Johnson-Hamer