We recently connected with Jynae Bergeron and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jynae thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
Usually I’m quite eager to find new homes for my artworks, but my most meaningful projects have stayed within my family. Three specific projects come to mind – one that lives with my brother, one that lives with me, and one that lives with my parents. Although they all have their unique story and symbolism, the one I gifted to my parents really hits home. My parents have lived on the same property since I was born, and throughout the past 32 years we’ve had generations of great horned owls living in the evergreen trees that thrive in our backyard. Almost every evening while I’m home, I can hear their calls from up above before they embark on a long night of hunting. Occasionally I even catch sight of one camouflaged among the branches or flying away. Due to their presence, the great horned owl has become a comforting reminder of my family to me. As a small token of appreciation towards my parents, I decided to build a canvas using wood from our family farm and woodburn a detailed owl into the centre. When I brought the completed piece into a British Columbia forest (with intentions to photograph it among the trees) a great horned owl suddenly flew towards me and perched on a branch only 30 feet away. Examining me and the art piece, during daylight hours, for several minutes. The encounter was surreal and a confirmation that the art piece was not meant to leave my family.
Jynae, 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’m Jynae Bergeron, the creator behind Art and Airplanes. I’m a wood based visual artist specializing in pyrography (woodburning) and woodworking. Although I had been casually practising the art of pyrography for over a decade, I decided to dive head first into becoming a full-time artist admits the pandemic. Having returned from a couple years abroad, I was living with my parents while trying to get myself back on my feet and saw an opportunity to learn the skill of woodworking from my dad; a retired carpenter. I had been curious about trying out the craft several years before, but did not have the space or tools to learn. We collected barn wood from our century-old family farm, and the gears in my imagination began working in a new way. Once I started I fell obsessively in love, fusing my fresh knowledge for woodworking and my developed skill in pyrography together. Since then, and after much trail and error, I’ve developed a process that is unique to me – resulting in an abundance of distinguishable wooden artworks.
My values align with sustainability, so my projects are made using 100% reclaimed wood that would otherwise be heading to the landfill or a burn bin. I focus mainly on creating Pacific Northwest inspired, mountainous landscape statement pieces; however, I do switch it up once in awhile by creating highly detailed woodburnings of animals, plants, or fungi. I believe my work to be extremely recognizable – a cohesive balance between intricate and simple, fluid and calculated, chaos and patterns. My intention with every piece is to display the natural grain, colour, and character of the wood – avoiding paint where ever I can – resulting in a very earthy, natural feel.
Everything is done by hand – there are no CNC or lasers involved. I’m really proud of my rapid growth over the past 3 years and am always looking for new ways to challenge myself and expand.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Besides seeing a challenging project through to completion and being proud and satisfied with the results, I’ve would say relating and connecting with people has been the most rewarding thing I’ve experienced as an artist. Having a platform to share not only my artworks, but also my inner thoughts and experiences is really inspiring to me. I’m a fan of vulnerability and honesty, and knowing that some people are interested in learning about not only the art piece, but also the artist, is truly humbling. I write well thought out captions with all my social media posts, often trying to explore the mental complexities of being this manifestation of life that I am and the hurdles it comes with. Receiving messages about what my art means to them, or how they see a reflection of themselves in my words makes me feel fulfilled, understood, and not alone. Simply put: the profound gift of human connection. Another awesome feeling is how many people purchase my art as surprise gifts for their most loved ones. The fact that I get to do what I love, and then have someone want to use that as an expression of love towards someone they love is just such a wholesome chain of events.
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?
I think people who say they are ‘not creative’ have a wildly incorrect perspective on what it takes to be an artist. I don’t believe people are born with ridiculous talent. These ‘talents’ don’t come easy – they take repetitive practice, dedicated time, willingness to fail, and a ton of mental obstacles. The word ‘gifted’ to me diminishes all of the work, time, fear, mistakes, self-doubt, criticism, and emotion that have been poured into every facet of what creatives have to go through to get to where they are. And after all of that energy investment, artists then place their work on public display to be judged. There’s a thick, invisible pressure in putting your heart, mind, and soul out into the world everyday as a full-time creative. The constant question of ‘Will this be well received?’ Or ‘Am I enough?’ plagues many of us.
Even though artists are doing what they love, there’s so much more depth beyond the finished project that consumers see. Turning something you love into a career is challenging and the relationship you have with your creative expression changes. It’s a constant juggling act – finding balance between expectations, creative freedom, and attaining a sustainable income.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://artandairplanes.com
- Instagram: @artandairplanes
- Facebook: Art and Airplanes – Jynae’s Travels and Creations
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@artandairplanes