We recently connected with Janel Young and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Janel, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been fortunate to be able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. The journey here was a diligent and faithful one. When I began working as an artist full-time, I had to put myself and my work out there for people to see. At the beginning, all transactions were not monetary. Some days I was lending my time as a volunteer or panelist, some weekends I was investing in a vending booth at a popular event, etc. I knew that in order to create value and trust where I wanted to be paid for my work, I would have to build a portfolio and network that reflected my capabilities, my value and my aspirations as an artist.

Each project I took on was an opportunity to learn, grow and reflect on how to improve for the next. It was a healthy cycle of self-assessment. After a few pro-bono projects, I started applying to more paid opportunities, as well as seeking out dream projects that would be fulfilling (even when I was unsure of where the funds to execute would come from!). I went from a volunteer to a mural painting assistant to a lead muralist by way of this process.

I believe everyone has a different process and journey, but to reach your unique milestones, you must continuously put your name and work in front of people, despite the discomfort you may feel! Apply to 10, 20, 30 opportunities where your work could be seen. Register for creative networking spaces in different cities. Reach out to people to collaborate, in person or on social media. Don’t shy away from talking to people seemingly in a more authoritative position at their corporate job. And most of all, know yourself, your story and your purpose. It will drive each conversation you have and lead to every opened door with your name on it.

Janel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The amazing thing about the road to my work is that it was not linear, but always underlying. I am a community artist, painter and muralist on a mission to inspire through creativity and play. I am also an artist advocate, community advocate and creative partner. In my role as an artist, I create large-scale public art projects, such as murals up to 4,000+ square feet, with the intention of centering community experiences and voices. My people-first process is what most clients and organizations find unique about working with me. Community engagement is more than a buzz phrase, but a way of listening and reflecting through colors, shapes and stories. I have the ability to transform the journeys of different people into a visual memoir to share their struggles, hopes and dreams.

I work with and for all kinds of people and communities, including youth, adults, elderly, families, corporations, non-profits, you name it. The core goal is to unlock their creativity and inspire them to tell their own stories, as well as to have empathy for one another.

I am proud to be a Black woman artist who can be a form of representation and a person who propels the arts in places that seek joy, creativity and light. I naturally tend to reflect and focus on joyous expressions of Black people and women, and symbolic colors and geometric-inspired work that has roots in African history. Some examples of this are my self-illustrated coloring book “Color Your Crown,” which celebrates the natural hairstyles of Black women, and the “Home Court Advantage Project” basketball court that I painted in my hometown (Pittsburgh, PA) with the input of the community.

I believe that my authenticity, creative process and range of life experiences attract clients/partners to me and my artwork. I also believe that people can genuinely feel when they are emotionally drawn to or moved by art. They wish to be part of that movement – to contribute to it and to offer it to the communities they serve. I am honored to be that colorful bridge for so many people.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

We are currently living in a time where people are beginning to witness the power of art, and not just by status in a museum or renowned collection. People are starting to recognize the opportunity that is working with living artists and building alongside with them. So many organizations are wanting to support artists, but are not quite sure how to go about it.

I recently wrote an article about how structural systems can help artists thrive. One of those ways is long-term artist residencies. Residencies can be defined or shaped in many ways, but the goal is to create a space for creative people to grow professionally, personally, and (in my world) be financially sustained while doing it. A straight-forward way to implement this is to advocate for hiring a Resident Artist as a full-time employee as part of staff. This allows for financial stability, a creative exchange, health benefits and incentive to do meaningful work.

Overall, society needs to respect the artist profession and stop treating it as a flighty luxury or afterthought. Art is engrained everywhere at all times. This world does not exist without us. Artists will strive in an environment where they can create from a place of joy and abundance – that is the goal.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I always come back to the goal of creating from a place of joy. It is a rebellious way of acknowledging myself and taking up deserved space (both physically as public art and metaphorically as a Black artist). While our (painful) histories are important to name, I often ask “What would it look like if we created from a place of joy instead?” I enjoy exploring the abstract worlds of bold colors, shapes and lines that have become symbolic of vivid joy, community and connectedness. I think there is so much power in sharing these things that are intentionally overshadowed.

So, my goal is to make more of this visual representation of joy! To make it bigger! And to encourage others to do the same in their respective crafts.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.janel-young.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jy.originals
• Youtube: bit.ly/jyoyoutube
• Other: linktr.ee/jy.originals

Image Credits
Chris Nowlin, Andrew Rush