Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jade Alexis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jade, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

3 years after graduating with my BFA concentrating in metals, I am working full time as a ceramic artist and instructor.

After college I knew that my heart was not in metal. I have always considered myself a mixed media artist but have had a special love for clay since high school where I took my first set of ceramics courses. I started my creative career journey by cleaning a studio space for a local potter. I then took a ceramics class at a public studio and soon after applied for an instructor position. From there I balanced serving tables and teaching while privately creating my own work. I repeated this process for 2 and a half years. I continued to apply to every gallery and studio in the area in hopes of work and a new connection. At some moments I had 5 jobs and would juggle between them weekly. As things evolved, they calmed down. Eventually I was able to gain enough traction in ceramics to quit my serving position to focus on teaching the art of clay and creating my personal artwork. Since then, I have never felt happier!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in New York and moved to the Carolinas around 8 years ago. I have been artistic since I was a child and gained most of my ceramic knowledge from my high school pottery class. In addition to working with clay, I am a mixed media artist. For my personal artwork I enjoy using found objects to create collage, I enjoy painting, photography, videography, printmaking, you name it! I don’t sell or share this work often, a lot of what I create in my home studio is very personal to me.

Most of what I provide is lessons on hand building and wheel throwing with clay. In addition, I am open to commissioned projects, and I occasionally put my work up for sale.

I believe I stand out particularly with my instruction. My goal is always having my students in control and feeling confident. With that, comes autonomy. I teach my students how to think for themselves as opposed to just following a set of steps.

I am most proud when my students not only grow as artists but gain self-confidence through learning. They really begin to believe in themselves and that’s when the true magic starts!

Although a lot of my time and focus revolves around clay, my main goal when teaching is to be connected with my students. I want them to be sure of themselves, applaud themselves for growth, and know how to learn from mistakes,

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 huge lesson I had to unlearn was that being an independent artist meant I was in control of my own destiny and that I would be working alone… that could not be more wrong! Being an artist heavily relies on community.

The people around you and who support you are vital in giving you what you need to keep moving forward. An artist’s relationship with themselves and their social circle connects them with self-esteem, inspiration, exposure, and more!
I know for a fact that I could not have gotten most of my best opportunities if it wasn’t for someone else sending me a link, or a recommendation, or simply mentioning something for a moment in a casual conversation, It is essential to have a collective of kind and motivated people to look to.

These people shouldn’t just be family or friends. Relationships big and small are all valuable! You never know what role someone will play in your life and the more positive relationships you can fester in your life, the higher chance you will find a successful path.

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

Being an artist gives a sense of identity to me. It drips into my social life, my hobbies, and my perspective on the world. I don’t know if there is a part of my life that isn’t touched by art. I feel like my work, and I go back and forth. Sometimes my work reflects who I am and sometimes I shift aspects in my life to reflect my art. For example, I gain a lot of inspiration from 1950’s nostalgia. Therefore, my art tends to lean into a monochromatic palette with an occasional pop of color Since adopting this theme, my wardrobe has started to take on this color palette and notes of this era as well.

My library consists of inspirational literature, my mugs are created by the hands of old and new friends, and when I have no one to hang out with my best pal is the studio. I love being an artist as I can take in and give out creativity wherever I go.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://worksbyjade.com
• Instagram: worksbyjade
• Other: worksbyjade@gmail.com

Image Credits

Leticia Santos