We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gem Jaxx a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gem, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

It has taken me 12 years to get to where I am professionally and I continue to push to further within my career. There were risks that I have taken such as spending many hours on my art and less time working so I can master my art. I risked relationships because my art came first. In the beginning I was living on a budget so that was the struggle but years later it paid off. With all the hard work and dedication I have finally created a brand for myself that people are recognizing and I can now work for myself and help mentor others. I never dreamed how far my art would take me and to be able to make a full-time living. Its really cool to see it flourish. One lesson I have learned is to have patience and don’t let your doubts get the best of you. Take the risk and do what you were meant to become! If I can do it, than so can you! I went to college and worked a 9 to 5 but it just wasn’t cutting it. I decided I’m going to take my art to the next level from hobby to professional. So I bought a cheap $10 easel and set up my first studio in my kitchen. Years later I am now a gallery owner and successful artist who is showing up all over Las Vegas, NYC and most recent Miami Art Week.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hey I am professional know as Gem Jaxx who was born in California and resides in Las Vegas NV. My artwork features a unique style from funky UFOs to pop culture icons and imagery with an edgy fashion exploding with vibrant colors. My first group art show was in 7th grade at College in California. That is when I knew I wanted to pursue art in some way or form. I wanted to be an architect. I would build dioramas and miniature sets with my father. Fast forward I went on another path and worked in the computer science industry and finally came to realization that I needed to be making art so I wanted to go to school to be a Museum director or assistant director. I eventually quit the 9 to 5 and dedicated my life to making art and I would submit to every art show happening. I did this to meet people and share my artwork to get feedback. I didn’t stop and to this day I continue to spread my brand Gem Jaxx.

My artwork explores the relationships with current pop culture and history. I create artwork to connect people with the present times and history. I think what sets me apart from other artists is that I create to give purpose to the present, forgotten, and obsolete. I experiment with a vibrant color palette and use unique backgrounds. I am a mixed media artist with influences such as Andy Warhol and today’s artist Shepard Fairey. I enjoy mashing up my created backgrounds with popular culture. I make different art that doesn’t have the same subject but yet is recognizable to be a Gem Jaxx original. I am most proud to be able to say my clientele is everyone. I am grateful to have worked with some of the biggest names and corporations.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

If it was that easy than we would all be rich artists. I think you have to be a really big fish and already be famous. So far those are the only ones I know who have been successful in NFTs. That is my opinion.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is that being an artist with other peers or artists is not a competition. You are only competing against yourself. As a female artist I always felt I had to try harder to compete with the male artists and get commissions and recognition. But I learned how to let that go and put my energy and focus on my brand. I learned there is enough demand for all artists.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gemjaxxart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/gemjaxxart
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/gemjaxx

Image Credits
Credit JHM @360proprints