We recently connected with Foxine Jay and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Foxine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

The act of creating art and music fills my soul with unlimited joy and presents challenges that allow me to grow. When I am willing to take a risk with a canvas and glue gun, I am cultivating the confidence to take risks in other aspects of my life. For 15 years I made art as Foxine Jay, just for fun and at home alone, stacking piles of completed sunglasses, earrings, and painted canvases. I built a robust website and printed a few business cards but never really took the leap to put my art out there and try to sell my pieces. In the last 5 years, I’ve changed my mindset about my art and decided that what I create is a valid small business that can bring me success both financially and spiritually.

The first painting I sold was last year, at a Halloween art and music show at the Ken Club hosted by Katie Carrion of Little Dame. The person who bought it was also borned and raised in New England (I’m from Maine) and we took a picture together with the canvas. He explained to me that him and his girlfriend just moved here and needed art for their place. Realizing that someone liked my art enough to hang in there home, was a rush of joy that is hard to explain. It’s like when someone sings along to the song you wrote.

Foxine, 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 was born and raised in Portland, Maine and moved to San Diego to attend San Diego State University and build myself a new life out west. After graduation, I found myself creating an abundane of visual art, across multiple medias. I came up with the moniker ‘Foxine Jay’ and decided that all of my visual art would live under that name, in that world. I follow my creative curiosity; I paint, collage, sculpt with clay, glue things together, and create surreal imagery through photography. I also have a podcast with my good friend who is also named Alex called The Alex Files (find us on Spotify!)

When I’m not making art as Foxine Jay, I’m writing, producing and performing music as a solo artist, I go by my own name ‘ALX PRATT’. Before I struck out on my own musically, I played drums and keys in several San Diego bands over the last 15 years. Last year I released my first solo EP, O.D.A.T. (which stands for “One Day at a Time”). All of the songs are named after colors, as it explores the emotions that certain hues elicit. I tried to get a full band to play my songs but after a year of auditions, that didn’t work out. I had to bring these songs to life, so I taught myself how to program music using Ableton to create the tracks you hear today. I also partnered with a local producer named Brent Barstow and he helped produce 2 of these songs for me. He really helped take my music to the next level. Find me on Spotify at ALX PRATT.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I am here today with my visual art and music is because I never stopped creating. I have been pursuing my creative endeavors relentlessly since I was a young adult. My social media has never gone viral or gained mass followings, and I made art for 15 years before selling my first piece. In my mind, it was ‘just for fun’ until 5 years ago when I felt the urge to establish myself as a public artist and small business. Since then, I’ve had many iterations of my ‘shop’, experiencing boughts of doing no events and 0r going to events and selling next to nothing. I left feeling discouraged and ‘not good enough’ and yet, I tried again.

I’ve tried over and over again to improve my branding, packaging, displays, and product quality. I fail along the way so that over time, I can advance towards my goal. After 3 years and multiple attempts, I started selling prints, paintings, sunglasses, and getting asked to do interviews like this. Recently, I sold my largest canvas ever to someone in Texas who commissioned a piece for their barber shop. Additionally, my earrings are available for purchase in the shop of my favorite local cafe, Ultreya, in College area.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The act of creating, I wouldn’t make things if it didn’t bring me a consistent, inexplicable amount of joy. I do have a full time career outside of my art, and it allows me the time and resources to pursue my passions. This summer, I’m focused on doing pop-up vendor events and it’s exciting to lean into my small business. It’s surreal to sell pieces of art and sunglasses that I made over 5 years ago. The satisfaction for me comes from making the art and now, seeing my art spark smiles and excitement in others, I’m experiencing a new level of fulfilment. Whether I sell my art or not, whether I have thousands of Likes or 10, I will continue to create.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.foxinejay.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxinejay/?hl=en
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/foxinejay
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxn2CKjlEy6KSQdAlw6s4YQ

Image Credits
Fox photo of me is by Pacificyo