We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Donyalle Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Donyalle below.
Donyalle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Learning to do what I do was the easy part. My ability to create is a God given talent, one that I initially took for granted. Learning to hone in on my natural abilities and manifest the career path of my dreams was my biggest challenge. Being raised in the West End by hardworking, blue collar parents, I developed a mindset that I would have to choose something more “practical” in order to sustain myself. I always loved to draw and discovered that I was extremely talented at a young age, but I never considered that this would be the thing that I built my life around. That is until I went to college. I tried major after major and nothing seemed to be a good fit; so I returned to my roots as a natural born creative. Knowing what I know now, I could have chosen this path way sooner. Looking back, I believe I lacked the confidence to really be bold and choose the road less traveled by. But I wouldn’t change anything because all of the time spent away from art made me appreciate it so much more when I got back into it! I was able to experience the life that I had built for my self and all that I had learn along the way through a new lens. I produced paintings, drawings, and fiber art pieces that indirectly reflected all the facets of who I had become. Once I leaned into the experimental aspects of the art making process, I realized that this was bigger than just a skill to be mastered. Expressing freely through creativity is self-care in its purest form! The biggest obstacle that stood in my way was my own mind. I had to ignore all of the self-doubt, the nay-sayers, the conventional norms that had occupied my mind for way too long and rediscover ways to cater to my soul. Sustainability was a bonus that came shortly after I decided to take a risk and bet on myself; a decision that quite literally saved my life.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Donyalle Jackson, better known as Donnie J, and I am a Louisville native raised in the West end of Louisville near the Shawnee neighborhood. For those who don’t know, I began my journey as a full-time artist about 8 years ago as an undergraduate student at Northern Kentucky University. At the time, I had explored a wide range of career options and I was on my 3rd major: education. After choosing a focus in secondary art education with goals of becoming a high school art teacher, I began taking courses that reactivated the natural skillset and love for visual art that I’ve had since childhood. In 2018, I moved back to my hometown and was soon accepted into the Hite Art Institute at the University of Louisville, where I studied several studio arts such as pottery, wood carving, welding, painting and fiber arts. I had taught myself to paint before learning in a formal setting. Once I finally got to take a class that solely focused on the technical skills of painting, I knew my life was about to change. I was absolutely mesmerized by the act of painting from the time I picked up the brush and now that I had learned the skills to do more with that, I felt unstoppable! I began taking clients for commissions in 2019. The first client I ever had commissioned me to create a tributary painting of his brother who had been murdered years before. This brought about many challenges but it was such a beautiful experience to capture the essence of passed loved ones and provide people with a tangible reminder of those they had lost. This led to many more opportunities to beautify the walls of my friends and family, who saw the potential in what I was cultivating well before I saw it myself. I received by Bachelors of Art in Visual art in 2020, but with everything happening in the world at the time, my artistic endeavors were placed on the back burner for a bit. In 2021, I was offered a part time job as a Paint and Sip Instructor at the KULA Gallery on 4th Street Live. After years of working as a freelance artist, I decided it was time to think bigger! In 2022, I applied for my first mural project through Louisville Visual Arts Catalyst Program. I was accepted for this opportunity and worked diligently for the entire summer on completing this mural project with a team of super talented creatives that I am proud to say are now some of my closest friends. We have continued our work together as a team, now as a non-profit organization called Monet Murals, where I have acted as both and artist and project manger. This pushed me to jumpstart my career and shortly after I was able to quit my bartending job to become a full time artist working as the Studio Programs Coordinator at the Speed Art Museum. There I am able to teach others the skills they need to create using a wide variety of mediums through the many creative making programs that I lead. I have since built similar relationships with KMAC, LVA, Boys and Girls Club, Bridge Kids International, Collider Artist-In-Residence program and others pouring the resources acquired during my vast art career back into the city with a focus on my own community here in the West end, where I currently reside. What sets me apart from others is the fact that I am me! There is only one me and I am an avid believer in the power authenticity. Showing up as yourself can be difficult in a world where conformity reigns supreme. But I am able to connect with so many different types of people all because they can relate to at least one or more of the many facets that make me who I am.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Initially, I wasn’t sure what was driving this need to express myself creatively. I just knew I had to let it out! After spending some time thinking introspectively about my process I discovered that this urge to create stems from a passion for mental health and wellness. I have watched many people in my life struggle with depression, addiction, anxiety and other mental illnesses that have led to physical illness and in many cases, death. After experiencing so much loss, it may come as a surprise to some that I have yet to fall victim to these mental illnesses. What has kept me grounded through it all has been my faith in God and the many gifts that have been bestowed upon me; my craft! Art has saved me from myself on many occasions, sometimes without me even realizing. It has become a healing tool that is vital to my well being and ultimately my survival. My mission is to share this avenue of expressive healing with others so that they can transform some of the turbulence of life into something that can serve as a reminder that there is always more to live for. Life is hard as hell sometimes and I honestly don’t know how I would get through it without a means of expression. My goal is to dismantle the stigma that mental illness is something to be ashamed of by allowing people an alternative means of expression and healing. Therapy doesn’t work for everyone, and in the black community many people won’t even give it a chance for so many reasons. Art is my therapy, it’s where I am able to lay it all out on the table and be the most free and authentic version of myself. I am in control of my creative process, even when my life is out of control.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
A resource I wish I had discovered sooner is the power of community. There are so many other talented individuals and groups with similar goals right here in the city of Louisville that I never knew until I put myself out there. One opportunity led to the next and things have snowballed from there. The old saying: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” has revealed itself to be true time and time again. The network of likeminded individuals I have been able to connect with during this journey have motivated me to grow and thrive in ways I never knew were possible. From the very first time I worked collaboratively with other artists, I recognized the real success comes from working together. My artistic practice started off as something that was very intimate. It took some time for me to even consider what could happen if I shared this gift with others. Now my practice is all about sharing with others because I discovered that the mindset this gift has instilled in me is too powerful to keep to myself and that other people can benefit from what I have to offer.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ArtByDonnieJ
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donyalle.jackson.5
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donyalle-jackson-0890102a2/
Image Credits
Photographer: Tre’Sean Durham