We recently connected with Alena Jones-Craven and have shared our conversation below.
Alena, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
“The Ugly Stages of Grief” is a deeply personal collection of five pieces created during my return to painting after my mother passed. The first work came from a place of raw emotion, and the rest followed as a way to process what grief actually feels like which is messy, layered, and rarely linear. Each piece represents a different emotional state I moved through: depression, anger, numbness, anxiety, and acceptance.This series was never about making grief look beautiful. It’s about making it honest. Creating these works gave me a way to hold space for emotions I didn’t always have words for, and I hope they do the same for anyone who sees them. The collection empowered me to face my own healing, and my hope is that it offers comfort, reflection, and permission for others to feel whatever they’re feeling too.
Alena, 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?
My name is Alena Jones-Craven. I’m an artist who practices art therapy, an emerging form of healing that uses creativity as a tool for emotional expression and restoration. I found my way into the art world simply by creating. When I was younger, I would paint in the park, and people began stopping to watch, connect, and even tip me. That was the first time I realized my work could reach people beyond myself.
I was always deeply passionate about art, but I didn’t originally see it as a business. That shifted when I saw how my work made others feel. I believe when your passion leads and your business follows, you don’t burn out as easily when there’s real meaning behind what you do. What sets my work apart isn’t just the art itself, but the emotional reactions it creates. I pour love, intention, and healing into every piece, and that energy is something people truly feel when they experience my work.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Whether we realize it or not, art moves the world. Our lives are shaped by entertainment, performances, paintings, music, and storytelling in every form. As creatives, we contribute to society just as much as anyone else. People don’t even notice until they need comfort, escape, or connection. Art is what so many of us turn to when we’re hurting, celebrating, or trying to make sense of our lives. So supporting artists matters. Many creatives pour everything they have into their work, often behind the scenes, so the rest of the world can feel something. Supporting them doesn’t have to be complicated. We can share their work, buy from independent artists, and invest in art focused organizations. When you support artists, you’re really supporting the emotional and cultural heartbeat of the world.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Exposing the world to art therapy is what truly drives my creative journey. So many people still don’t know what art therapy is and that pushes me to expand my work, because it offers another path to healing. The path that helps people process trauma, repair emotional wounds, and reconnect with their creativity.
In underserved communities especially, access to traditional talk therapy is often limited by cost, lack of insurance, or simply not feeling safe enough to speak about deeply personal experiences. Many people also don’t even know that art therapy exists as an option. That reality fuels my desire to build community centered spaces where healing through creativity is accessible, welcoming, and real.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopruthless.net
- Instagram: @ruthless.studios
