We recently connected with Dasia Janea and have shared our conversation below.

Dasia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

As a creative most of us use our gifts as a coping mechanism to process the hardships of life. Creativity as a form of release. I know i did all throughout middle and high school. It kept me sane through my raging ever changing hormones and severe mental diagnosis before my college career.

In my early 20s and doing much better mentally what i didnt expect was to become dependent on art. The act of making something. The longer i go without creating the closer i get to being back in a terrible mental state. i have to create to be okay now.

In this new age of needing side hustles to sustain yourself and everyone being an entrepreneur of some sort i didn’t mind the need to create because i could have extra money in my pocket. I’d been commissioned to do art since i was 15 a sophomore in high school making a pretty penny every now and then. So why not push it further and make a career out of it i thought.

i soon realized doing commissioned work sucked the fun out of the very thing that was helping me. the therapeutic release was no longer instead it was replaced by daunting deadlines and fear of unmet expectations of clients. that fear was the biggest kicker it became paralyzing to create. i’d wait until days sometimes hours before a deadline to start a piece only to of course be dissatisfied with the result. The constant questions of do you have a website? business cards? Sliding pay scale? Portfolio and artist statement on the website? Logo, branding and llc for your business? Make sure you get the copyright for—

like girl no my head is spinning please give me a second. Not understanding the full weight of the word career. You are the creative, the business, the brains, HR, brand ambassador, logo designer, CEO, etc.

This past year i finally came to my senses and stopped the self torture of commissions for the sake of saying i created something. Had second thoughts about an art career as a whole. Realizing i got blinded by what others wanted from me creatively and the money that followed being the main motivating factor. i stopped creating what i wanted and need to release.

Went back to the drawing board and started creating just for me again. Guess what? people are still buying everything i make. that speaks volumes to authenticity do what you do and don’t stray. people will still love what you create.

Dasia, 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?

As mentioned before i got into art because it was my creative outlet as a teens but ive been drawing all my life. i’ve taken my art ‘seriously’ now because people enjoy what i create and want it in their homes.

Now that ive moved past commissions my focus has been making series of art pieces the smallest being 3 and the largest i’ve done so far is 5. The series i’ve created and will continue to create tell stories about black culture and the black experience. As well as the similarities between black and brown cultures. (indigenous, middle eastern, caribbean, afro latino, etc.)

My focus lately has been our hair that alone you can say so much about. i’ve hated my hair for the longest and now that ive had locs for 4 years ive learned during this journey how to love it in its most natural state. So that will be apart of my next series that i create.

But thats me making art about Black and brown people for Black and Brown people.

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

Seeing the canvas go from nothing to something beautiful. Like just the creative process in general is so rewarding. Taking a step back and seeing the final product of many process you may be familiar with and some new skill or technique you may have tried all coming together in the end. there’s nothing like that feeling.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Representation. i believe there’s more of it now which is amazing. Social media is a great tool but just letting the youth know it’s possible for you to make something of yourself creatively. Also advocating the beauty of black and brown people. We are taught to hate certain things about ourselves so thru my art i’m teaching myself and others that it’s okay to love things.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Janea.designs